Alexei's Plan
by C.Queen
Summary: Alexei Dolohov swore on his honor that if any member of his family dared to tell him what to do again he'd do something that would make them sorry. They should have taken him seriously, especially since he knows how Hugo Weasley can drive them crazy.
1. Step One

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters end up in. Hope you like this little story of mine!

YAY! 150TH FANFIC WAHOOO!

Step One

Sitting at his seat Alexei drummed his fingers under the table while doing his best to keep his face blank as he listened to the voices that were talking over him. Technically they were speaking toward him, but since apparently his opinion didn't matter in the least Alexei figured his prior description fit better in this case. Not to mention the fact that the other people at the table weren't even waiting for him to reply either, taking his silence to mean that of course he agreed with him or her a hundred percent and would do exactly what they wanted him to do even though they had to realize somewhere in their stupid, inbred brains, that it was a very rare thing for anyone to get or convince him to do something he didn't want to do.

In fact, it was so rare you'd think the academic sorts would note them down somewhere as a shocking phenomenon to be marveled over.

How long before they realized he hadn't spoke for at least half an hour, Alexei silently mused, thinking that perhaps he should amuse himself by having a little bet with himself.

But no…he was far too angry to even think about trying to turn this into some kind of joke.

Like them thinking he would ever get married, much less let them pick a woman out for him was a joke.

He'd made his sexuality very clear years before, not the sort to fear the repercussions that could result in someone of his bloodline and social status coming out as homosexual. He hadn't given a flying fuck. Never had and never would. Taking the coward's way out was for the weak and non-magical. Anyone who didn't like who he was, and there were hundreds who didn't, could go choke on the brooms he'd shove down their throats if they messed with him.

Yes, he was very much aware that he was pretty much the only eligible Dolohov male at this point who was not only sane but remotely appealing to the opposite gender, but so what? That wasn't his fault. If they wanted the family name to continue then they should just marry his sister off to some poor smuck who was too afraid of her to object to the idea of their children bearing her last name instead of his.

Given that his sister was at least half as nasty as he was, Alexei didn't see that being a problem for her.

Looking across the table at her Alexei wasn't overly surprised to see her watching him with a mixture of surprise and anticipation. She wasn't used to him being able to rein in his temper this well and was getting annoyed with being made to wait to see him implode.

She was still bitter that she had missed the family dinner where he'd stunned three of their relatives into a stupor for a few weeks because they'd dared to try and bribe his Quidditch coach into throwing him off the team so that he would no longer embarrass them with his chosen profession.

Reliving that family gathering in his mind was oddly soothing, Alexei decided, doing precisely that for several minutes before his remembering was interrupted by the fact that Gabrielle Goyle's name had just been thrown into the ring as a possible marriage candidate.

Oh HELL NO!

Not that he had anything against her personally, she was fairly tolerable for a girl, but she was TALLER than he was. She was, in fact, the TALLEST girl of his acquaintance.

And he HATED being reminded of the fact that he was below average height for a male.

Across the table Alexei's sister wiggled with glee. Ohhhh but it was on now.

Pushing back his chair Alexei deliberately made it screech across the hardwood flooring, drawing everyone's attention to him.

"That is quite enough." He bit off, rising to his feet. He might be short, but his presence was big enough that people always forgot his lack of height at such times. "How many times do I have to tell you dolts that you will NEVER have any say in my life choices again? I would have thought, after the incidents following MY decision to become a professional Quidditch player, that even the stupidest of you lot would have finally gotten it through your thick skulls that people who try to run my life for me tend to end up wishing they'd NEVER met me. The fact that we're related through blood only goes so far, especially since you all make it so perfectly clear to me every time you open your mouths that your removal from this plane of existence would only benefit me in the long run."

"Alexei!"

Turning his head in his mother's direction Alexei wasn't about to be cowed just because she'd given birth to him. He hadn't asked to be born after all and she could only play the mom card so many times in a day before it expired.

"I've reached my limit, I won't stand for you all continuing to interfere in my life." His eyes scanned the room, deliberately looking each of them in the eye in turn before continuing. "And I swear on my honor that if so much as one of you opens your mouth and tries to tell me how to live my life again…I will make you regret it, I swear it."

"Alexei! You will apologize to everyone this instant!"

Slowly moving his head, the action oddly reminiscent of a serpent scenting the air for prey, Alexei met his father's gaze, the look in his eyes so dark and predatory that the older man looked away first, unable to hold his son's gaze.

"I believe that counts as you telling me what to do, Father."

Everyone sucking in their breath, rooted in their seats as they waited to see what Alexei would do with icy cold fear, all knowing just how dangerous the young man was when he was provoked.

But Alexei didn't retrieve his wand, simply standing where he was for several heartbeats before moving around his chair, heading for the doorway that would lead out of the dining room.

"Where are you going?" His sister blurted out, not sure whether to be disappointed or relieved.

"To do something that will make him very, VERY sorry that he pushed me."

And on that note Alexei left the room and the family estate all together, checking his pocket watch to gauge the time and then dissipating as he sent himself to his first stop of the evening.

He had someone to find, and he was pretty sure he knew where to look.

)

Sitting in his usual booth Hugo watched the people that occupied the other chairs and benches with interest, content to observe them while he finished up his dessert. He came to the Leaky Cauldron every Friday night unless he had other plans, his love for Hannah's meat loaf such that he never got tired of eating it. He was a creature of habit when it came to food, but to his way of thinking that wasn't a bad thing. It just meant that he knew what he liked. Not that he had a problem trying new foods, he'd try most anything once, but if given the choice he'd take the meat loaf over some fancy concoction that costed ten times more than the meat loaf and took up only a quarter of the bloody plate.

Money didn't grow on trees after all, though he could probably create a philosopher's stone if he really wanted to go to all that trouble.

Unfortunately his parents had had a bad experience involving one of those stone though, and he'd promised them he'd never make one even just to see if he could or not.

Smiling at the thought Hugo returned his now empty spoon to the dish, feeling relatively full and content. He was a bottomless pit when it came to food, so he always had room for more.

It was a Weasley thing.

Sticking his hand in his pocket the curly haired Gryffindor pulled out a handful of coins, counting out the correct amount as well as a generous tip since he could afford to do so.

That done Hugo was about to rise from his seat when he sensed the feel of the room change, a quieting of voices that suggested something big had happened to so quickly render so many people silent. Immediately turning his attention to finding the cause, well aware that his wand was within easy reach, Hugo's eyes finally landed on the man who was cutting through the crowded room like a knife through butter.

Alexei Dolohov.

Well that explained it, Hugo thought as he relaxed his posture, a small grin on his face. Alexei tended to have that effect on people, especially when he was in a bad mood, which the Slytherin obviously was.

Unlike most everyone else he'd never been afraid of the testy, very volatile Dolohov. That lack of fear had some saying that that made him crazy due to the fact that Alexei was the only person he'd ever met in his entire life who could seriously bully him. Many had tried and failed, but Alexei stood alone, though not exactly successful since the point of bullying was to make the other person feel bad about his or herself, or physically harm them. No matter how bad things had gotten while they were in school together the other man had never physically attacked him to harm, and he'd never really taken the Slytherin's insults and criticisms to heart because he liked who he was and saw himself clearly.

And come to think of it…wasn't the man headed straight for him?

Uh oh…that could be bad.

Trying not to be too obvious about it Hugo slid his gaze off to the other side of the room to where his older cousin was sitting with his girlfriend eating dinner. He hadn't gone over to say hi earlier since it was obvious that they were on a date and he knew they'd invite him to join them, but if Alexei started on him Fred and Gabrielle would definitely notice and come over to protect him.

And while Alexei had never gotten physical violent with him Hugo was pretty sure the man wouldn't hesitate to punch Fred out if given the opportunity. Fred could be a lot more annoying than him without even trying.

For the moment his cousin seemed completely absorbed in whatever he was talking to Gabrielle about though, so maybe he wouldn't notice unless Alexei raised his voice. Though that would be hard to prevent, especially if the Slytherin was already mad, but maybe he'd be lucky.

Opting to remain seated, Alexei hated being towered over, Hugo subtly pushed the table part closer to the other side in case he needed to get up quickly. He was caging himself in so to speak, but he was pretty sure-

"Weasley."

Thought process dying a quick death Hugo met the man's gaze, nodding his head in acknowledgement. "Dolohov."

Eyes quickly following the motion as Alexei set a hand on top of his booth, Hugo's gaze returned to meet the other man's just in time to register the fact that the Slytherin had moved in close before Alexei's lips pressed up against his own in a decidedly possessive and fierce kiss.

Completely stunned by the action Hugo's eyes went huge behind his glasses, mouth dropping open in shock as he processed both the feel of the man's lips on his and the fingers that had speared into his curls to control his head. And then it registered in his mind that Alexei was taking advantage of his open mouth by putting his tongue in his mouth…and okay…what the hell?

Oh wow.

Moaning low in his throat in reaction to whatever Alexei's tongue was currently doing in his mouth, the Gryffindor's brain was having some problems functioning at the moment, Hugo unable to stop himself from lifting his own hands up to wrap around the Slytherin's waist to draw him a little closer.

And when Alexei shifted so that his right knee pressed down between his legs Hugo's mind completely blanked so that he spread them immediately, allowing the knee to brace against the cushion while the other man used the shift in position to move in closer.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to my adorable little cousin?!"

Hugo made a sound of disappointment when Alexei was literally pulled off of him, very sorry to have the kiss end so suddenly and before he'd recovered his senses enough to add his own tongue to the mix. A real pity, that.

"I don't recall giving you permission to touch me, Weasley." Alexei informed Fred in a low voice that threatened unimaginable pain if the other man didn't butt the hell out of his business. "This is between Hugo and I."

Wow, the man had actually said his first name…something was definitely up.

"Fred." A world of warning in her voice Gabrielle kept a firm grip on her idiot's arm. "Don't start anything with him, you'll lose. And besides, if anyone has the right to beat the crap out of Dolohov for manhandling Hugo it's Hugo, who seems more disappointed that you stopped the snogging than he is upset."

"I wouldn't lose!"

"You'd lose." Gabrielle, Hugo and Alexei informed him in perfect synchronization.

"HEY! YOU GUYS SUCK!" And then realizing what he'd just said Fred immediately turned his puppy dog eyes on full as he looked into his girlfriend's less than amused face. "I didn't mean you of course. Promise. I'm just trying to protect Hugo from Dolohov! Do you know what Rosie would do to me if I didn't?"

Gabrielle gave him a look that said he definitely wasn't off the hook, which was the norm in their often turbulent relationship.

"But I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Fred."

"No you're not." Gabrielle, Fred and Alexei informed him.

Accepting that response, it's what he always got when he made such statements, Hugo just shrugged and then shifting over rose to stand to his full height, the tallest of the four of them which was saying something as both Fred and Gabrielle were tall even for their respective genders.

Alexei was the adorably short exception, as always.

Well aware of this fact Alexei scowled at being made to feel small, reaching out and latching onto Hugo's wrist since he didn't want the clueless Gryffindor getting away from him. "I have business with him, so beat it, Weasley. Or better yet, Gabrielle, would you get this idiot out of my sight unless you want me to remove him from both our lives."

"Don't you talk to her like you're friends."

Smirking in a deliberate ploy to upset the older man, Alexei pleasantly informed him that if the idiot wanted to get upset about something he should freak out over the fact that apparently his parents were conspiring with Gabrielle's parents to try and play matchmaker.

Worked like a charm, Alexei thought as he watched Fred immediately freak out, rounding on Gabrielle to find out if this was true and if she'd known about it.

Leaving the two to argue Alexei ordered Hugo to come with him, tugging on the wrist he still had as he led the way towards the pub's door so that they could get out of there before the older Weasley realized that the younger one was missing.

And it was only for the sake of convenience that Alexei made no objection when Hugo unexpectedly yanked his wrist out of his grasp, only to take his hand so that they were still joined but in a far more friendly way.

)

Well aware of the huge uproar they'd left behind Alexei wasn't quite sure what to make of the fact that the other man was following him without the slightest hesitation. Like a lamb wandering into a wolf's den and cuddling up beside him, Alexei marveled, unable to believe that someone who was such an academic genius could be so dim when it came to his personal safety. But that was this particular Weasley for you, which was good for the moment since that would make his plans go that much smoother.

"So where are we going?"

"Your place."

"Oh." Still confused about what was going on, the Slytherin was obviously up to something, Hugo just shrugged and continued to walk beside Alexei, swinging their hands a little between them to amuse himself. "And what are we going to do when we get there? I mean you're setting the stage for something, making people think we're sexually involved would be my guess. If you don't want to tell me why that's fine, but I am a little curious."

Very curious actually, but he respected the fact that Alexei was a very private person.

Well aware of the hand swinging and the amused smile the other man was wearing Alexei couldn't help but think that it was times like this that he really had to wonder how the man had managed to live this long without dying some epically stupid death. "You are the weirdest person I know. Do you know that?"

"Yup." This wasn't the first time the man had made that observation after all.

"And you're really just going to calmly walk with me back to your place and let me inside even though you've known me since pre-school and should know better."

Hugo decided to pretend to consider the matter since he got the sense that he'd be in for another lecture about his lack of common sense if he didn't. Of course Alexei was pretty good at reading him too, so it was probably a wasted effort.

"The worst you'll do is yell at me, so that's not really a big deal, right? I mean you've been verbally abusing me since pre-school so it's not like I'm not used to it."

That he thought Alexei was incredibly adorable when he got angry and threw a tantrum went unsaid for the sake of remaining conscious and alive.


	2. Step Two

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters end up in. Hope you like this little story of mine!

Step Two

Enjoying the fact that Alexei was still letting him hold his hand, Hugo continued to smile and swing their hands, the unexpected twists his night was taking inspiring him to start humming a fun little tune under his breath. Soon he switched over to the actually lyrics, completely unaware he was singing as they walked down his street and got very weird looks from the people around them.

"I have often walked, down this street before;  
But the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before.  
All at once am I, several stories high.  
Knowing I'm on the street where you live."

"Weasley, don't sing for no apparent reason or I'm going to smack you. And we're on your stupid street, not mine."

"You're welcome to sing the song too. Though I'd have to teach it to you first, since it's a Muggle one and you've probably never heard it before. And I know it's not your street, you'll also note that neither of us is several stories high."

Alexei's eyes immediately drilled into Hugo's, promising untold horrors. "Was that a crack about my height?"

Please, he wasn't suicidal. "No, it wasn't. We've known each other for over two decades and I've never once made a crack about that, now have I?"

"Yes you have."

"I most certainly have not. If I had the damage you would have inflicted on my person would stick out in my mind even if my exact words didn't. Not to mention every major fight we've ever had is permanently imprinted on my brain…when do you think I made a crack about your height, exactly?"

"You do it every time you give me that stupid look of yours that says you find me adorable!" He hated that look, especially since he'd never been able to figure out just what he did to make the stupid Gryffindor think that of him.

"What's the fact that I may or may not find you adorable at times got to do with your height?"

"You wouldn't think that if I were taller. For that matter you're the only person in this world stupid enough to think I'm remotely adorable. Not even my own mother probably thought that once I learned to talk. It has to be the height thing, that's the only logical answer!"

Hugo immediately pointed out the flaw in that argument. "People call me adorable all the time and I'm a lot taller than you. Height has nothing to do with someone's cuteness, I'm living proof of that."

"You are neither cute nor adorable."

"You're the only one who thinks so, if that's true. That's why so many of the Slytherins I know hate me too. They can't stand the fact that they think I'm cute even when they're determined to dislike me just because I'm a Gryffindor and a Weasley." He disturbed most Slytherins on a primitive level that would have amused him if not for the fact that he wished they could all be friends instead.

Alexei didn't want to think or talk about the numerous Slytherins brought low by that 'something' Hugo seemed to give off as easy as breathing that made people want to cuddle and protect him from the world. He'd heard the man's sister describe them as 'Bambi Eyes', but he didn't know what that was and refused on principle to ask Rose Weasley Daimon anything, even if she was married to a cousin of his on his mother's side.

Seeing her at the occasional family dinner when she and her mother in law were getting along was bad enough, though that rarely happened.

"And I know I've said it before, but you really need to stop thinking that every time someone says something remotely related to height it's an insult to you."

"Says the too bloody tall man who regularly whacks his head on ceilings and doorways as a result of his height."

"I'd whack my head even if I wasn't tall, you know that."

Okay, he did know that, but the Slytherin was still angry that the curly hair cherub he'd gone to preschool with had always been taller than him, to the point where his head had only reached the man's chin in seventh year. And then Weasley had DARED to get even taller after they'd graduated so that now his head was only slightly above the Gryffindor's shoulders.

How I hate that, Alexei silently fumed, let me count the ways.

Sighing, knowing it was pointless to argue with him about this, Hugo decided to once again let it go and concentrate instead on something else. He'd try to beat the 'height doesn't matter' idea into the mule-headed Slytherin's head in another few years or so.

"So I'm correct in thinking we're not going to discuss what's going on until we get to my place, right?"

"Right. So zip it until we get there."

)

To keep the peace Hugo kept quiet for the rest of the trip to their destination, unlocking his flat door and then holding it open for Alexei to go in first. Once they were both inside and he'd closed the door behind them Hugo switched on the lights, not surprised at all when the Slytherin's jaw immediately dropped in shock when the other man got a look at his now lit surroundings.

That was the usual reaction when people got a look at his idea of decorating for the first time.

"Holy fucking-you have a serious problem, you know that?!"

"It could be worse."

"HOW COULD IT BE WORSE?!"

"The shelves could be pink?"

Not even really listening to him Alexei walked further into the room, unable to believe the fact that there were literally no walls that he could see. There probably were behind all the bookshelves that had been magically altered to fit every nook and cranny of the place from floor to ceiling, but you wouldn't know it at first or fifth glance.

And what was even more disturbing was the fact that he'd bet good money that the bibliophile he was with had read every single bloody one of the thousands of books surrounding them in this room alone. How many more were in other rooms he didn't even want to think about.

Spinning around Alexei only had one question. "Why?"

Hugo just shrugged. "I love my books."

"To a very, very, unhealthy degree."

Hugo disagreed, but then he could never seem to get people to understand that he could never bear to part with his books once he had them. Rosie understood a little, but even she thought his rooms were excessive, though she was kind about it.

So instead he motioned towards the couches in the room. "Would you like to have a seat then? Can I get you something to drink?"

Alexei's first impulse was to say no, but on second thought... "The strongest liquor you have."

"Okay then."

Not ready to settle yet Alexei waited until Hugo had headed out of the room before walking over to the shelves, eyes scanning various titles, not at all surprised that they appeared to be grouped by topic as well as put in alphabetical order. And there weren't even labels, the man must have just memorized where everything was. There were books on so many subjects, many of which he assumed were Muggle related from the odd names of the authors and works.

"You're welcome to borrow something if one's caught your interest."

"You'd trust me with one of your precious books?" One of the few things that was guaranteed to have Hugo Weasley showing his bad ass side was to wreck books in front of him. When they'd been in their sixth year some idiot Ravenclaws had devised this spell that they thought would let them take all the information from the books in the library and magically transfer that knowledge into their heads. What they'd ended up doing was destroying three shelves worth of books, damaging many of them beyond repair.

Mr. Nice Guy had gone postal on them and had turned them both into statues so they couldn't do any more damage in the future. Nobody had been able to figure out how to undo what he'd done and the Gryffindor had only agreed to lift the curse when the grandmothers of the two idiots begged him to.

The man had a weakness where grandmothers were concerned.

"I'd trust you with one of my books because destroying them just to hurt me is beneath you."

Okay, he couldn't argue with that.

Taking the glass he was offered Alexei nodded his thanks and then joined Hugo in sitting down, deliberately choosing a seat across from the other man. "So I had a fight with my father's side of the family tonight."

"That's nothing new."

"No, it's not. But in this case I put out an ultimatum and they called my bluff, so to speak. But I wasn't bluffing, and now to punish them I'm going to date you and make them very sorry they ever thought they could tell me how to live my life again."

Normally Hugo would have asked how dating him could be perceived as a punishment for someone's family, but this was the Dolohovs they were talking about. They disliked him more than any other family on the planet. Alexei might be the only one who could stand to actually be in a room with him for over ten minutes and not feel bad about being nasty to him, but as a group they'd probably dance on his grave if they knew how to dance…which he sort of doubted that they did.

Too happy an activity.

But back to the conversation at hand, Hugo reminded himself. "So you think you can just pretend to date me and everyone will believe it…why? I mean everyone has three set responses when they see us together and that's to run away to escape the fireworks, leap to my defense, or egg you on because they're your fellow Slytherins. No one's going to believe you just woke up one morning and decided you wanted to jump my bones."

"My family will know what I'm up to and that's all that matters to me. And we won't be pretending, I'll actually take you places and stuff. You're single right now, right?" Not that he had a problem getting rid of any competition there if necessary.

"I am, but you…this can't work. You think they'll be psychologically damaged because some people are going to believe that their heir is involved with me? Because all they have to do is spread the word that you're doing this to punish them and then everyone will figure we're faking it."

"Oh I'll make them believe it's real. Trust me."

He only had to think about that for a moment before Hugo raised his glass in a toast. "Even I have the sense not to trust you when you want to use me."

Inclining his head in acknowledgement, Alexei let that go for the moment and turned the conversation towards the reason he'd decided he needed a stiff drink before their talk, draining his glass in preparation before asking the dreaded question.

"What do you want in exchange for your cooperation?"

)

Sipping his drink thoughtfully Hugo studied the other man over the rim of the glass, not letting his thoughts show on his face as he considered the question poised. What did he want? Oh any number of things. But something the other man could provide him with in exchange…well that was a decidedly loaded question indeed. Because despite what the rest of the Wizarding World though they knew about his relationship with Alexei Dolohov, they did, in fact, know nothing at all. They'd both seen to that over the years and what the Slytherin was proposing…well that would require revisiting a time in their past that they'd both shut the door on long ago.

To buy himself time, and genuinely curious anyway, Hugo deliberately leaned forward, the cunning he so rarely showed entering his normally cheerful brown eyes. "And just what do you think I would ask for in return, Alexei? From the look in your eyes I'd say you're imagining something really unpleasant."

Flinching instinctively at the way the Gryffindor had all but purred his first name, not to mention his usual reaction when Hugo went all serious and sly on him, Alexei glared at him reflectively. "Don't push me on this one, Hugo. What do you want in return?"

Setting his glass aside the Gryffindor considered drawing things out, but knew that would only come back to bite his ass as hard as it would Alexei's. "I'm not expecting you to shag me if that's what you're worried about. I don't need to force people to share my bed…as you'll recall."

And there lay the undeniable fact that had been their dirty little secret for a little under a decade.

For two months in their seventh year they'd shagged each other's brains out whenever the opportunity had presented itself.

They'd made damn sure there was plenty opportunity to be had.

Hugo was willing to admit that he'd started it, the kiss he'd laid on the shocked Slytherin's lips a combination of curiosity and a desire to shut the man up before he said something that really would require him to give Alexei the cursing he had coming. It had worked and he'd walked away from the statue still Slytherin thinking that the other man would give him hell once he regained his voice, but that that would be it.

He definitely hadn't expected Alexei to track him down later on to regain his 'honor' by snogging the hell out of him in order to prove that he was the guy and not the girl.

Neither of them had expected that snogging session to lead to them nearly rounding third base in a school hallway, much less that they'd end up using the Room of Requirement a few days after that to get to know each other in a much more intimate manner.

By mutual agreement they'd never told anyone.

Seeing the memories in the man's eyes Alexei fought back the urge to squirm as he forced himself to concentrate on the conversation they were having and the fact that he needed to be at the top of his game if this meeting was going to go the way he wanted it to.

So while it was on the tip of the Slytherin's tongue to make some very disparaging remarks about Hugo's prowess in the bedroom, just to take back control of the conversation, Alexei wisely held those comments back. The Gryffindor had far too much sex between them to throw in his face if he did, and he'd worked really hard over the years to forget those long ago two months, failing miserably a lot of the time.

And it killed Alexei to admit it, but he was a realist when it came to his reaction to snogging and touching the Gryffindor. That was how they'd ended up behaving like fucking rabbits together. Sex with the bastard had been like a drug for him, and he'd gone cold turkey for nearly ten years. Now that he was putting himself in a situation where that was no longer an option….

"You and I both know we can't date without ending up in bed together, Weasley. The sex is a given."

Surprise briefly crossed Hugo's features before becoming speculative. He hadn't thought Alexei would be willing to admit that. The man prided himself on his control after all. Plus he'd always gotten the sense that Alexei's greatest 'shame' in life was that he'd even briefly gotten involved with him sexually.

"Why go this route then? Why use me against them. I know your mind, Alexei. You're never short of ways to make people as miserable as you want them to be."

"You've managed to remain fairly sunny natured."

"I'm your exception."

In so many ways, Alexei mentally tacked on.

"I may hate most of my family, but they aren't worth going to Azkaban for. I'm not going to ruin my life just for the pleasure of removing them from this existence. I've done what physically damage I can get away with and it hasn't worked for long. I'm trying the psychological route this time."

That didn't fly with Hugo, there had to be some ulterior motive to this that he was missing. But, unfortunately, the only explanation his mind wanted to come up with at the moment was the possibility that Alexei wanted to try and have a real relationship with him and this was some convoluted plan the Slytherin had concocted to trick him into it.

Which, his rational brain pointed out, was about as likely as Hagrid starting to dress like Louis.

Stupid Weasley curiosity…he was just itching to play along long enough to find out just what the Slytherin was really up to.

And okay…that thought of having regular sex with Alexei again was as addicting to him as chocolate was to his cousin Al.

Hey, he was only human.

"So you're willing to give me whatever I want if I agree to date you for the next…couple weeks?"

Alexei winced, know what was coming. "Just say it and get it over with."

"But I don't know what I want in return. You haven't exactly given me a lot of time to consider my options."

When the Slytherin said his name Hugo recognized the tone well enough to know that Alexei thought he was playing him. So that must mean that he was correct in thinking that the other man thought he knew what he would be asked for in exchange. Just what did Alexei think he wanted from him?

It couldn't be for the other man to change his personality or treat him sweetly; that would be like asking the Earth to stop revolving around the sun. So wouldn't happen. It had to be something else, something Alexei would hate to do or allow but would because his plan was more important to him.

So he thought. And he thought. And he thought.

"You think I'm going to demand I be on top when we have sex, don't you?"

The look on the Slytherin's face said it all.

Hugo couldn't help it, he had to laugh.


	3. Step Three

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters end up in. Everything else belongs to someone else and that's the way of it.

Happy New Year!

Step Three

People generally didn't laugh at him, but Weasleys and Potters tended to be the exception to that fairly concrete rule. Actually, that family was the exception in too many ways to count, which could get really, really annoying. The only other person who actively courted his wrath was his cousin Sev, but the man didn't really laugh at him so much as show amusement in his superior, egotistical way. That was equally annoying of course, but at least he saw his cousin as his equal which lessened the sting…a little. Plus the man was married to a Weasley, so knowing the man was constantly suffering usually alleviated most of his anger there.

But aside them no one else would dare laugh at him, and no one but Hugo would do so with such a joyous disregard for his own personal safety.

Of course the man had no sense where he was concerned, so that didn't surprise Alexei. And though he had learned to control his temper better since his schoolboy days, it still burned hot, bright, and lethal in his eyes as Alexei got to his feet and crossed the short distance between them to lean forward so that they were nose to nose.

There was some satisfaction in the fact that his actions shut off said laughter like a switch, but not enough to cool his anger. "So you think that's funny, do you?"

"If you look at it from my point of view, yes, it is. Absolutely hilarious, in fact."

Alexei bit off his next words. "Care. To. Explain?"

The gleam that came into the Gryffindor's eyes warned Alexei that the other man was up to something even before he made his move.

"Do you remember our time together so little?" Hugo asked the Slytherin, pleased to see the shadows of those memories cross the man's eyes as he did remember. And to further those memories Hugo reached out and placed his hands on Alexei's hips, fingers digging in ever so slightly. "Never once did I top you unless you wanted me to ride you, and even then your hands dug into my hips to control my movements to your liking without giving me any real control at all. And not once, again, did I ever ask for it to be otherwise. In fact, I believe I was quite vocal about just the opposite, to the point where you often complained I would leave you deaf if I didn't lower my voice and quit yelling. Now do you see why it's so funny?"

Unable not to remember, which was a constant problem for him, the anger Alexei had felt moments before began to change in purpose, the flames that raged inside him taking another form that was just as explosive, but far more likely to bring pleasure than pain.

"Trying to soften me before you give me your demands?"

The smile that crossed the Gryffindor's face was a knowing one. "And what use would you be to me soft?"

He'd become better at knowing when he was being manipulated by this man, he just expected it whenever he was dealing with the Gryffindor now, but currently Hugo wasn't even trying to hide his goal. "You're thinking to use sex to quell my anger?"

Hugo's smile was sweet, his expression ridiculously adorable. "It's always worked before. And now that that option is back in play…"

This was true. And they knew how this night would end as well. "Name your condition…and then I'll fuck your brains out to the point where you crawl out of bed come morning and the next."

Making a needy sound in the back of his throat, he couldn't help it, Hugo squirmed just a little closer, already aching for him. He knew that Alexei was always a man of his word, and he knew what was to come too and wanted it badly. It was the need that had him offering the first conditions he could think of off the top of his curly head. "A month, not a couple weeks, and afterwards I get to say I dumped you and you have to confirm it if asked. You dumped me last time, it's my turn."

"That's almost as bad as you topping. And we weren't dating so I didn't dump you. I told you I wasn't going to fuck you anymore and then avoided you like dragon pox for the rest of the year."

"True, from your perspective anyway."

From anyone's perspective, but Alexei didn't bother to argue the point since he was too busy weighing the Gryffindor's conditions. The month wasn't a problem; it was the idea of everyone thinking he'd been dumped that was going to stick in his craw. But he could figure out a way around that, do damage control, and if nothing else most people were too scared of his wrath to push him too far.

"Fine. It's a deal."

)

Leaning forward Alexei dropped down onto the couch on his knees, straddling the other man before taking Hugo's mouth in a punishing kiss that was guaranteed to leave the man's lips red and bruised before he was finished. It felt strange to Alexei to feel the short, crisp hairs of the man's short beard against his hands, this being a new addition since last they'd pitted themselves against the other this way. He'd long imagined what it was going to feel like on his skin, and now he knew.

Oh he was going to have fun with that beard later.

Making a thorough exploration of his ex's mouth for the moment, and wasn't he still absolutely delicious, Alexei nipped Hugo's bottom lip and then pulled away, loving the groan that escaped the Gryffindor's swollen mouth. That was something else he'd always loved where this man was concerned, Hugo's honesty about his wants and needs when it came to sex.

Here the curly haired menace was a fairly open book.

And wanting to make sure that Hugo was out of his brilliant mind with lust Alexei slid his hands around the other man's body to cup the Gryffindor's ass, squeezing hard rhythmically as he leaned forward to keep their lips a breath away.

Only then did he begin telling Hugo exactly how they were going to spend the night and what he planned to do to him in minute detail.

Rubbing up against Alexei eagerly to egg him on Hugo's eyes closed, his throat working desperately as he visualized what the Slytherin was planning to do to him. Alexei was not only a man of his word, but he was also the only one who'd ever talked to him this way, down and dirty, explicit and sexy as hell. Most people saw him as sweet, innocent and cute, and treated him accordingly in the bedroom. Not Alexei. Never his too sexy and erotic for words Alexei.

Thank Merlin. Oh thank Merlin.

"Yes, yes fuck me." He moaned, wanting that so desperately. "I want you to. I want you to take me. Do whatever you want, just start doing it, please!" And since Alexei's hands were occupied Hugo reached down to pull his own jumper up and over his head, inviting the other man to put his hands on him.

"Your bedroom. Now."

Cursing when he felt Hugo immediately stand up and haul him up with him, the man's hands on his thighs to keep him in place, Alexei glared down at him, pinching the Gryffindor's ass hard. "You know I hate when you carry me."

"You can punish me momentarily."

"Oh I intend to. Severely." Alexei assured him before bending his head to the side to begin leaving his brand up and down the man's throat as he was carried out of the room and down the hallway. "You'll leave these marks here."

For all to see, Hugo thought silently but didn't say as he invited the markings with a tilted head to the side. Why waste breath stating the obvious?

Plus it would be nice not to have to waste a lot of time trying to erase all the marks the man was going to inadvertently leave on his body through the night. He wasn't really all that flexible, and that had been a real bitch back in the day.

Thankfully his clumsiness and easily bruised skin were well known, so the occasional missed bruise had been easily explained away.

And thinking of what the man would do to him to put marks upon his flesh that night, well that was more than enough to have him hurrying towards his bedroom.

Once they reached the room and the bed they tumbled onto the mattress, fighting and tearing at each other's clothes without caring if buttons flew or zippers broke. They'd never had much time when they'd been teenagers, and quite frankly had always been too caught up in the moment to care about trivial matters like that when lust had its teeth sunk as deeply into their flesh as Hugo's hungered to be taken.

They only paused long enough to retrieve the container of lubricant and turn on the bedside lamp, needing to see what they did to the other. How the other looked at them when they returned the favor.

The primal need to mate was all that mattered, Hugo putting up just enough of a fight to excite the man who would always dominate him here, who knew as well as he did that that was precisely what he wanted. Top Alexei? Why the hell would he want to do that?

He drove that home again and again too, moaning out his pleasure and the Slytherin's name when he surrendered completely, lying back to give Alexei full access to his body and take what he would.

Loving the way the man trembled and went so loose and willing beneath him Alexei all but growled his enjoyment as he moved down Hugo's body, taking pride in how completely and easily he could destroy the Gryffindor's mind and focus with his mouth and hands. That he gave Hugo as much as pleasure as he took was partially pride, but the rest was all a need to claim and own the body beneath his.

To drive Hugo to the point of madness, as the man seemed to so effortless do to him.

When it came time to get out the lubricant Alexei had no problem with Hugo slicking up his hands before handing the container over to him, loving the feel of those long, strong fingers stroking him to nearly unbearable hardness while he coated his own fingers.

And oh but he remembered just how he liked it, Alexei thought as he forgot what he was doing as Hugo's hands drove him perilously close to the edge as the minutes ticked by, fighting off his climax only so that he could savor the feel of the man's fingers that much longer.

But since he didn't want to embarrass himself either Alexei forced himself to concentrate on preparing Hugo's ass too, eager to slide into something even better than the man's slippery fist. Not an easy task when all he wanted to do was drive inside Hugo's wet heat, and it had obviously been a while for the Gryffindor.

It took all his patience to open and stretch the hole that clenched around his fingers so tightly, but when he finally worked himself to the hilt and felt Hugo's body close around him…there were no words.

And Hugo's fingers dug into Alexei's shoulders and kept their eyes locked, not looking away for a moment as the man's body plunged into his, mating their bodies together until their voices and heartbeats were indistinguishable from each other.

Panted breathes, the sounds of damp bodies slapping together, and then the most ragged and desperate of cries as first one and then the other finished, climaxes leaving them wrecked and, for the moment, quite content to remain in each other's arms.

)

Stretching out his limbs that morning Alexei made a sound very close to a purr of contentment, staring up at the ceiling with a wide grin on his face. He hadn't slept so well in a very long time. This bed was amazingly comfortable, and normally he hated big beds because he felt small in them. Not the case today thanks to the man sprawled out beside him, who was taking up all but a quarter of the mattress. A man who looked completely and totally spent with his face buried in his pillow and hardly a movement of his blanketed back to suggest he was still breathing.

Alexei grinned with satisfaction over that, not even realizing that he'd reached out to stroke the curls his fingers loved to tangle in.

It was only when they were in bed together that he not only tolerated the most aggravating man he'd ever met, but enjoyed his company to the point that there was no one else he would rather be with.

Wait, no, that was just the sex talking, Alexei told himself, berating his mind for still being so fogged up by the stupid, irrational, and utterly mindboggling lust he felt for the most irritating Gryffindor in-okay no…Lily Potter was the worst, but Hugo was definitely in the top five-no, even then…Hugo was part of the most irritating Gryffindor FAMILY in the history of that stupid house.

Yes, that was it.

How long he thought about all his run ins with the man's family and stroked the man's curls Alexei couldn't say, only realizing he was doing the latter when Hugo's head moved under his hand, turning so that sleepy brown eyes met his gaze.

"Morning."

"Morning." And since he didn't know how long he'd been stroking the man Alexei deliberately gave the Gryffindor a cocky, smug grin. "So think you'll be up to walking today?"

A considering look crossing his face, Hugo carefully turned over so that he was on his back and then moved into a sitting position, wincing a little at the soreness he experienced but not terribly worried about his future mobility. It was a small price to pay for a night like the one he'd just had.

He'd been more than ready to rub it in the Gryffindor's face, how thoroughly he'd demolished the other man, but those words had died quick, surprisingly painful deaths when the blankets that had been covering Hugo from the shoulders down pooled around his waist when he sat up.

The bruises, was all Alexei could think as he sat up as well, struggling to wrap his head about them all. Most of them weren't big, and logically he knew that the majority were hickies, but when paired with the slight discolorations where Hugo's hips were visible…his hands? Had his hands put those marks there? And the one high on the Gryffindor's right side?

"What's wrong?"

In some part of his brain Alexei heard the words, but his brain just couldn't process them. He was too horrified and revolted by what he'd done to even string a sentence together anyway. Because while he'd threatened to physically harm the Gryffindor more times than even the brainiac could count…he'd never actually resorted to that. Had never been the type to use his hands to cause harm to someone else. It usually wasn't necessary, his words always inflicting more than enough damage.

Picking up on the fact that he wasn't going to get an answer until he figured out a way to force Alexei's attention back to him, Hugo considered flicking the Slytherin but quickly discarded that idea since it would likely lead to the threat of having said finger disarticulated.

Going with a gesture he hoped was still allowed Hugo leaned over and slated their lips together, keeping the snogging light and gentle for the brief seconds Alexei allowed the gesture before pulling back from him.

"Now that you're looking at me, what's wrong?"

"Look at you! That's what's wrong!"

Blinking in surprise, the Slytherin certainly hadn't been complaining about his body during the night and early morning, Hugo absently glanced down, the sight clearing his mind quickly so that his brilliant mind immediately began cataloguing the bruises and their various causes. "Ah, I do look a bit of a mess, don't I?"

"A bit of a mess?! It looks like I fucking forced or beat you!"

He disagreed, but coming to the conclusion that Alexei was upset because he thought this would reflect badly on him, or make people think the Slytherin had used violence to get him to agree to date him, Hugo assured the Slytherin that that wouldn't be the case. He was more than capable of removing all traces of the, in his opinion, light bruising, and his clothes would hide any he might not be able to reach.

Moving with the intention of jabbing his finger into the man's shoulder for being so blasé about the whole thing, Alexei caught himself just in time, yanking back his hand like the Gryffindor's skin would burn him on contact.

"Why the hell aren't you upset?"

Hugo just grinned and shrugged. "I bruise really easily, remember? If you hadn't always left the Room of Requirement as soon as you'd finished with me you would have noticed I always had some hickies and bruising from your fingers digging into my hips or bum. And back then we certainly never had a whole night together, which is why this looks so much worse than it actually is. This is like a week's worth of damage for us crammed into one night. Plus we rolled off the bed that third time, and that didn't help."

Naturally his mind went to that third time, which was currently etched on his mind like acid due to the sheer erotic hotness of it all. They might have started out on the floor swearing, they'd rolled off when it was just getting good, but it hadn't taken long for them to recover from the interruption or for him to get an idea.

Remembering what Hugo had looked like leaning over the bed with that pretty ass in the air, spine arching to invite him to take him…well that was going to haunt him for years, dammit.

Definitely time to change the subject.

"I'm hungry."

"If you want to shower, go ahead. I'll throw some stuff together for us."

A shower sounded good. "Can you even walk straight?"

"Nope, but then I've never been straight, now have I?"

Weasley humor. It made sense only to them.


	4. Step Four

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters end up in. Hope you like this little story of mine!

Step Four

After thoroughly drying himself off Alexei stepped into his trousers and zipped and buttoned them into place. He hadn't bothered to bring his shirt into the bathroom with him since he saw little point in wearing it until all the lost buttons from it were located. He'd look for them after he got some food in his stomach.

Wearing nothing but the trousers Alexei borrowed a comb to slick back his black hair, not surprised that Hugo didn't possess anything resembling hair gel for him to use. The Gryffindor pretty much let his curls do whatever the hell they wanted unless someone else made him do otherwise. And since he rarely needed to shave that wasn't an issue either, Alexei absently thought to himself, a small smile curving the Slytherin's lips at his next thought. Because as it turned out Hugo wasn't the only one bearing visible marks from the night before. He'd discovered whisker burns in some very interesting places while he was showering and intended to keep the marks on his skin as handy proof that he and Hugo were sleeping together.

Plus he seriously loved the beard. There were no words.

Not that he had any intention of telling Weasley that, though the genius had probably already figured it out, Alexei thought as he left the room and stepped into the hallway. He didn't smell breakfast when he headed in the direction of the kitchen so he wasn't all that surprised to see that the food set out on the counter consisted of two kinds of cereal, some cut up fruit, toast, stuff to put on said toast, and milk and juice. Naturally he couldn't cook either, that was what his house elf was for, so Alexei didn't complain and simply loaded up his plate. There were bound to be plenty of other things to get peeved about before the meal was over. Though maybe if Hugo kept silent they'd be okay given that the other man was looking rather yummy with his sleep tousled curls, glasses, and the baggy pajama bottoms that were riding low on the Gryffindor's hips.

"Do you need those glasses or don't you?" Alexei asked as he took a seat across from Hugo, who of course hadn't touched his food yet because he'd been waiting for him.

"Just for reading still, but I forget I'm wearing them most of the time." Hugo motioned towards the newspaper beside him. "Any particular section you want?"

Shaking his head the Slytherin dug into his food, the two eating in silence for several minutes before Alexei pointed towards the simple tee Hugo was wearing with his fork. "Do you need help dealing with the bruises?" Normally he would have never offered to help the Gryffindor, but he didn't want to see those marks later. That would definitely kill the mood for him.

"No, I'm very good at removing them, but thanks for asking." Smiling Hugo thought about reaching out to pat Alexei's hand but wisely reconsidered. "I wouldn't have thought they'd bother you so much. Didn't your previous bed partners look a little worse for wear in the morning too?"

"None of them bruised as easily as you. Don't the idiots you date dislike seeing you look like that?"

"Oh it's very rare that I get bruised with anyone else except for the occasional love bite." Was Hugo's matter of fact response as he smiled a secretive little smile. "There's really no comparison."

Okay…that sounded like a dig against him, but he'd spent a large chunk of the night and morning hearing the other man begging him for more sex of the dominating sort. It also made him think of an incident that had happened a couple years ago where he'd had the misfortune to be sitting in a booth placed beside one containing a number of idiots, one who was dating Hugo. He hadn't been eavesdropping, he'd had better things to do, but they'd been obnoxiously loud and he'd happened to overhear the guy sleeping with Weasley say something about how Hugo was sweet and cuddly when it came to sex. At the time he'd laughed his head off at the very idea, assuming that the man wasn't actually sleeping with the Gryffindor and just wanted his friends to think so, but…

"Are you saying I'm the ONLY man you've slept with recently that's properly fucked your brains out?"

"Pretty much."

"What the hell?"

Hugo sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "You know how most people see me. That's how they expect me to be in bed too. I'm lucky to get PG13 dirty talk."

Okay, he had no idea what PG13 was, but he was pretty sure he understood what the Gryffindor was implying from context and tone of voice. "How could they…do you deliberately date men with the intelligence of trolls? For Merlin's sake, you have the biggest brain in the United fucking Kingdom. Of course putting mental images into that head of yours works better than physical foreplay. Hell, I've made you come from words alone."

Hugo's sigh was dreamy now. "Yeah, I know."

"Why the hell don't you tell them what you want to hear, you idiot?"

So he'd gone from having the biggest brain in the United Kingdom to an idiot in the space of seconds. Smiling ruefully at the thought, Hugo pointed out that if he had to ask to be dominated or talked to like a man…well that totally killed the whole mood for him. Not that he hadn't tried to carefully steer some in that direction, but apparently he was just too cute to properly dominate in all but Alexei's mind. In the end he'd just had to accept that fact, especially since he didn't want to damage the sexual egos of any of the men he slept with. Everyone knew the male ego was a lot frailer than a woman's.

"No wonder your relationships never go anywhere."

"It's certainly a contributing factor, yes."

)

Hugo had had a little mental debate with himself while he was throwing together breakfast, distracting himself from thoughts of joining Alexei in the shower had seemed wise, and having reached a decision decided to pose the question he'd asked the night before and hadn't been sufficiently answered. It was the Weasley in him, his curiosity just had to be appeased or it would eat at him for the foreseeable future. He had to risk asking.

And Alexei was too pigheaded not to continue with his plan, Hugo reassured himself, so odds were things wouldn't end between them no matter what he said. Oh please let this not ruin his chances with Alexei, for the love of Merlin. "Alexei…I still don't see how you think you can convince people we're dating for real. Our public history is too well known. What's your plan? I can't help you if I don't know."

"I don't need your help."

"Obviously you do, since we're pretending to date each other for your revenge, remember?"

Hugo wasn't surprised when the Slytherin rolled his eyes.

"You think it's a stupid plan, right?" Alexei waited until Hugo reluctantly nodded before continuing. "And therein lies the brilliance of said plan. It's such a stupid, cliché, brainless form of revenge that no one, once they use what little intelligence they have, will believe that someone of my evil brilliance wouldn't be able to come up with a better plan. And who in their right mind would believe I'd whore myself just to embarrass my family? No one else knows how hot we are in bed together, they won't realize that I see that as the lone benefit of this agreement besides the payback. Plus, for your information, this is only part of my plan."

"Oh." Mulling that over Hugo had to admit that the other man had a point. Alexei really had screwed his brains out apparently, he should have thought of that angle earlier. Though that last part had him worried, especially since he still couldn't see this plan thing working regardless. "What else are you going to do?"

"None of your nevermind."

"Well then what's our cover story for getting together? I mean people aren't going to believe you came into the pub last night, saw me, and fell hopelessly in lust with me despite the fact that you came in royally peeved and looking for trouble."

Okay, that they did need to discuss, Alexei acknowledged. "We'll say we were together before that. Be honest why I was mad last night, everyone knows I don't get along with my family."

"Are we going to admit to the fact that we were together at school?"

Hugo watched the Slytherin consider this, not adding his own comments since he was pretty split on the idea himself. On the one hand it would give their sudden relationship some much needed foundation, and it would be nice to have it in the open, but on the flip side those months with Alexei weren't ones he was particular proud of since he'd spent them lying to people about what he was doing and basically allowing Alexei to turn him into the Slytherin's dirty secret. Alexei hadn't been seeing anyone then, but he'd felt like the man's mistress.

It was not a situation he would ever allow himself to be put in again.

"That would make people believe us faster…but that would be one more thing we'd have to convince them of. As it is I still can't believe you managed to hide it given what a crappy liar you are."

"If I'm such a crappy liar then why did you ask me to play your lover in this scheme of yours? There are other men out there your family doesn't like either."

"Because if I had sex with any of them I really would be whoring myself to get back at my idiot family and that's so not happening. You're different."

He wanted to ask how he was different, oh he wanted to ask, but he knew better than to think he'd get a straight answer, and so Hugo opted to just be happy that Alexei was so willing to admit their attraction for each other this time around. Maybe absence really had made Alexei fonder of him.

They slipped into silence for several minutes before Alexei commented that maybe Hugo was right about them admitting that they'd been involved before. What he didn't say was that the reason the idea was beginning to appeal to him was because in a week his Quidditch team was going up against the Chudley Cannons and Hugo had dated the team's keeper four years ago. Imagining the other man's reaction to learning he'd had Hugo first amused Alexei greatly.

"So we're going to say that we were secretly dating back then and you recently asked if I was interested in going out with you again?"

"Please. Like I'd ever come crawling back. You showed the interest in a repeat because the guys you date are so crappy in bed and I said yes. We can say that that's how I knew where you were last night, that we'd arranged to meet there after dinner to discuss the whole thing."

"You won't say that about the other guys I've dated." Hugo's voice took on just a hint of warning. "If you do I won't confirm and then we'll just look at odds and your plan will be ruined. As it is I can't see how you think you can be nice to me in public for a day, much less a month."

"But you don't want nice, do you? Mr. Nice Guys bore you. I'm what you want."

Hugo opened his mouth to comment, the words dying in his throat at the sound of someone knocking at his front door.

Both men turned their heads at the sound of the front door being opened, the sound of Rosie calling out her and Sev's arrival reaching their ears. Given that the woman was seven months pregnant neither was surprised when it took her a while to come into view, her husband at her side in case she needed his help. Hugo carefully got up and started towards them with a smile of welcome, Alexei remaining where he was as he enjoyed watching her eyes bulge out of her head as she gaped at him like a landed trout.

Like her brother he preferred his cousin's wife speechless.

"Hi, Rosie, Sev. Have you two had breakfast already? Maybe you should sit down, Rosie, you look a little pale."

"My cousin is sitting at your breakfast table without a shirt on. You're lucky she hasn't keeled over from the shock." Sev kept a firm grip on Rosie's arm, both to restrain her and to make sure that he could catch her if she fainted.

"Sev."

"Alexei."

"WHY IS ALEXEI DOLOHOV HALF NAKED IN YOUR FLAT?!"

Taking his big sister's hand in his, Hugo gave it a reassuring squeeze before dropping the bomb so to speak. "Actually, Alexei and I are dating. He slept over and that's why he's still here. So what brings you by so early?"

When she just kept looking at him like he'd lost his mind Hugo decided that getting her into a chair really was the best idea, suggesting that they do so to Sev who nodded in agreement, each taking one of Rosie's arms as they steered her towards Hugo's abandoned chair.

"Having problems walking, Hugo?" Sev asked with a devilish gleam in his blue eyes. He'd noticed the stiffness of his brother in law's gait and had put two and two together. It was better for him to have his fun at the boy's expense while Rosie was too out of it to give him heck for it.

"I fell out of bed."

"So clumsy. That's why mum and dad wouldn't let him have a bunk bed when he was little. They were worried he'd roll off in the-wait a second." Eyes narrowing as her incredibly smart brain started working again, Rosie looked from her husband to Alexei to Hugo, her brown eyes zeroing in on the hickies that decorated her brother's neck with a choked gasp.

Alexei gave her a truly evil grin. "I fell off the bed with him."

Sev and Hugo gave him dark looks as they guided Rosie onto the chair.

"Now remember, stress isn't good for the baby." The warning was as much for his wife as it was for his cousin. "And you know Alexei wants you to lose it for his amusement. And I know it's horrible to think of them dating now, but seriously, it can't last and Alexei's no doubt up to something and Hugo is playing along because he's too damn nice for his own good. Think about it and take slow, calming breaths."

"But the news that Baby is dating the spawn of Satan will finish my father off! He still hasn't recovered from the baby news yet!"

Seeing the surprise on his cousin's face Sev explained. "Apparently he convinced himself it was okay that we got married by brainwashing himself into believing that we weren't having sex. The pregnancy shattered that belief quite thoroughly."

The cousins shared a look that said they both thought Ron Weasley was an idiot, but opted not to say so while the man's children were in the room. Neither wanted to be kicked out of their Weasley's bed at the moment and the two Gryffindors were fiercely protective of their father, especially since he was normal in a family of geniuses. The man's kids did not react well to digs where he was concerned.

Thinking a change in conversation was in order Hugo pointed to the cloth bag Sev had been carrying in his free hand and still held. "So what did you bring? New books?" His gaze was hopefully, his sister and brother in law both bibliophiles too. They weren't quite as devoted as he was, but they all kept each other supplied with new reading material.

"Yeah." Sev said as he handed the bag over, Rosie waiting until that transaction was complete before she informed them that they weren't books at all.

"What? You said they were books."

"I lied. The 'books' in there are actually containers full of treats that I transfigured to look like books. Hugo, you're going to want to hold onto that bag tight and put it somewhere where Sev can't get at it. And no, I will not be baking anything else for the rest of the week to replace what I'm giving him, Sev. The whole point in giving the chocolate to him is so I don't eat it and get even fatter than I already am."

"But I'd eat it instead!" Looking utterly devastated at this turn of events Sev couldn't believe the depths of his wife's betrayal. She had given his chocolate away to Hugo, who she knew he couldn't go up against because of the boy's evil cuteness powers.

"You eat too much chocolate as it is."

Enough was never enough, and why only he and Albus seem to get that was beyond Sev. But this was an argument he never won with her so he tried a different route. "You aren't fat, you're pregnant. And I love you just the way you are no matter how big you get. More of you to love, right?"

"Oh please, I still have people who whisper behind my back that I must be slipping you love potions to keep you. If I stay this fat they'll all think they were right because no one can grasp that you married me for my baking first and foremost." She'd married the man the majority of their schoolmates would have voted the most popular, gorgeous, and charming Slytherin to attend Hogwarts in decades. That he'd picked her as his future wife in their seventh year had shocked all those who hadn't understood his underlying motive.

And most people didn't realize that her hubby and Alexei were a lot alike in their love of making fools out of everyone around them for their own amusement. Sev was just a lot more subtle about it, Rosie thought with an expressive eye roll.

"Please, like you'd manage to slip me love potions behind my back. I'm better at potions than you are."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"ARE NOT!"

"Are too…and if your weight really becomes that big of an issue for you I'll simply return you to your former size through a Polyjuice potion. We have to have some of your old hair somewhere."

Rosie all but growled her husband's name in response.


	5. Step Five

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters get in.

Happy Valentine's Day one day late lol

Step Five

As it turned out the Daimons had another reason for visiting Hugo aside from dropping off the 'books'. They were on their way to the Saturday morning market and had dropped by to see if Hugo wanted to come with them. They always got better deals when he was with them because all the vendors automatically wanted to shower the too thin boy with extra food. Rosie's brother just had that effect on them without even trying, which was a good thing, Sev informed his cousin, since his brother in law was a bottomless pit when it came to food.

"Unless you and Alexei have plans." Rosie gave her husband's cousin the beady eye, hoping that the younger man intended to leave so that she could get her brother alone and get it through his curly head that dating this particular Slytherin was a monumentally bad idea.

"I'm fine going to the market with you guys." It would give them a chance to present themselves in public as a couple and the presence of Sev and Rosie would validate the fact that they were together.

Immediately cluing into why Alexei would be willing to go Hugo shrugged and decided to play along. "I'll just quick grab a shower and change then. Or are you two in a hurry?"

"No, go ahead." Sev spoke before Rosie could, figuring that if nothing else his cousin's presence would be a suitable punishment for her having given away chocolate that was rightfully his to eat. "Rosie and I can clean up here while Alexei plots how best to go about traumatize the rest of the family with the news he's shagging you."

Shaking his head Hugo didn't argue, though the shower was going to be the shortest he'd ever taken. It would be safer that way.

All three watched the man hurry off, thinking to themselves that it was unwise for him to be moving that quickly given that he was even more prone to clumsiness when he wasn't fully awake. But there were no loud crashes or sounds of distress, so they assumed Hugo had reached his destination in one piece.

"You're up to something, aren't you?"

He didn't even bother lying, Alexei simply giving Sev a look that made it clear it was none of his business what he was and wasn't up to. He didn't stick his nose in the man's life and expected the same consideration.

"I'll figure it out eventually…and I will crush you like a bug if you hurt the kid." Hugo's evil cuteness powers had forced him to become as protective and prone to babying his wife's brother as everyone else in his wife's family.

"You could try…but hurting Hugo isn't part of my plan. You have my word on that."

Knowing that Alexei was always a man of his word Sev decided to believe that the other Slytherin didn't intend to hurt Hugo. At least not deliberately. He'd keep an eye on the situation, Sev silently decided, and interfere if necessary. Hugo and his cousin had always had a volatile chemistry, and while he'd rather not think about them shagging he figured that it was better that than Alexei plotting some new way to punish the Gryffindor for the affect he had on people.

His cousin was better than anyone he knew at withstanding Hugo's cuteness, but Sev knew the man wasn't nearly as immune as he would like to believe.

That settled the two cousins began discussing a recent article about a politician none of them could stand in the Prophet, Rosie quickly joining in as they all took turns giving their opinion of just how stupid the man really was while Sev helped Rosie put away stuff and Alexei finished eating what was on his plate.

Everything was put away and the men were deep into their discussion when Hugo interrupted them.

"Alexei? Can you come here a moment, please?"

Looking in the direction of the hallway Alexei excused himself and went to see what the Gryffindor wanted, taking in the fact that the man was only wearing a towel with decided interest. "You called?"

Hugo did his best not to react to the hot once over he was being given as he posed a question that had occurred to him moments ago. "I was just wondering if you'd prefer it if I shaved off my beard later. I noticed earlier that I gave you whisker burns, but I thought you might consider that an acceptable consequence given how vocal you were about liking the sensation of my beard against your inner thighs."

Rolling his eyes over the way the man had phrased the question Alexei told Hugo to keep the beard and left it at that.

"Okay. I just have to get dressed then and we can go. Did you want to borrow one of my shirts?"

"Do you have one that would fit me?" Alexei countered, not outright rejecting the offer only because wearing one of the man's shirts would give their relationship more visual proof. Plus it would freak Rose out a little, which appealed to him too.

"I think so." Calling out to his sister and brother in law that they were going to see if he had a shirt that would fit Alexei Hugo led the way to his bedroom, heading for his closet as he mentally evaluated his wardrobe and what he might have to offer. He was pretty sure he still had a few items left over from his student days; Alexei would never wear anything that was too baggy.

"Aha." Pulling out one he'd bought after a trip to the theatre Hugo walked back over to Alexei and offered it to him. "Try this."

Sliding the black T-shirt into place Alexei found it a little roomy but otherwise a decent fit. Moving over to a nearby mirror to make sure of it the Slytherin read the words printed across the front in a curvy white font. "To be or not to be?"

"It's a very famous Muggle quote. Taken from a play called 'Hamlet' by William Shakespeare. Its exact meaning is well debated, especially since Shakespeare's been dead for quite a while and therefore can't set the record straight. Whether he's debating the merits of living, dying, committing suicide or facing the ills of the living world…at the end I think what it truly stands for is the importance of reasoning things out. Of not just jumping into something without considering the consequences to yourself and those involved. Not that Hamlet made very good choices, but then he was a very depressed and conflicted person. I've never been terribly fond of him as a character, though Shakespeare's Romeo was way worse in my opinion. What Juliet saw in him-well it wasn't like she really got to know him before they both died. Had she had the chance…well I doubt very much that play would have continued to be known as one of the greatest love stories ever told."

"Sorry I asked."

"Sorry you weren't interested. You might like Hamlet though, if you ever need reading material. Most everyone dies in it, if nothing else." While Alexei considered that Hugo allowed himself one more moment to enjoy the sight of the Slytherin wearing something of his before wisely turning his attention to finding clothes for himself.

This didn't take long since he didn't give two damns about fashion or fads. He wore whatever was on hand and didn't need to be laundered. Pulling out the necessities Hugo piled them on the bed and then pulled off his towel, tossing it in the direction of the hamper.

Watching the man with predatory interest, he couldn't help himself, Alexei raised an eyebrow as the other man pulled on a pair of jeans without anything on underneath. "Commando?"

Shrugging his shoulders Hugo just zipped them up. Less to take off later.

All but licking his lips over the knowledge Alexei moved up behind the Gryffindor as the man reached for the shirt, Hugo going still when the Slytherin deliberately slid his hands around the man's sides, splaying his fingers over the stomach that quivered in reaction.

"You smell good. Clean." Moving that much closer Alexei slowly dragged his tongue a few inches up the Gryffindor's back. "Makes me want to dirty you."

Shuddering in reaction, and very aware of the bed in front of them, Hugo prayed for strength as he pointed out that there would be plenty of time for that later. Currently they had guests they really needed to be getting back to, especially since neither was known for their patience.

"They would hear you, of course." Digging his nails ever so lightly into the man's stomach muscles Alexei wished he were taller so that he could torment Hugo better. "But I do so like how loud you get the closer I drive you to climax."

"If Rosie hears us having sex in here the shock would probably send her into premature labor." Hugo warned him, grasping at straws as his system screamed that one night wasn't enough to make up for the years it had had to go without Alexei's touch. "And if she did go into labor and anything went wrong you'd be on Sev's shit list for the next decade at the very least."

Normally he didn't care about such things but this was his cousin they were talking about. No one with a working brain ever wanted to be on Sev's shit list. He might annoy or needle the man occasionally, such was his nature and the man had married a Weasley, but he'd never crossed the line knowing that Sev was probably the most dangerous Slytherin of his acquaintance. Only Weasley and Potters were dumb enough to truly cross his older cousin, no doubt counting on the family factor to keep them safe.

And unfortunately Rose wouldn't stop providing Sev with chocolate treats if HE was the one Sev sent to St. Mungos for an extended stay. Hell, she might reward her husband for that. Ergo…

"Fine, but we're coming straight back to bed as soon as we're done at the market. If I have to spend at least an hour in your sister's company without killing her I expect to be well rewarded."

"That sounds fair."

)

Alexei had never been to a market before, that's what servants and house elves were for. He hadn't anticipated how cramped and loud it would be, with people arguing prices and hawking their wares at the top of their lungs. Though he'd been right to assume that this would be a great way to inform their peers that he and Hugo were now a couple, especially since the Gryffindor had taken his hand when they arrived and still held it. So they didn't get separated in the crowds, apparently, but Hugo had given him a look that said it was also a handy visual clue for those watching.

Sev hadn't been kidding about all the vendors loving Hugo either, the other man getting deals that had even Alexei marveling over the power the Gryffindor had over the weak minded. Hugo knew them all by name and their families too, which just proved that the man's brain really was filled with useless information.

They'd been in the market about twenty minutes when a familiar voice spoke to them from behind.

"Okay, so what…Dolohov was hit by a curse or jinx that fried his brain so that now he's a barely functioning zombie? And Hugo's decided to take care of him because no one else would?"

Everyone turned around to see Lily Potter looking at them in amusement, the redhead pointing towards Hugo and Alexei's joined hands and then at the shirt the latter was wearing, recognizing it as Hugo's since she'd been there when her cousin had bought it.

"They're dating." Sev informed her.

"Seriously?" Lily looked at Hugo and then Rosie for confirmation, not quite sure what to think when they both acknowledged that Sev wasn't just messing with her. "Well hell…I mean we always figured that one day his ability to think of a millions things all at once would cause his head to explode, but I never figured the damage would be this severe given he has brain cells to spare."

"I can't think of a million things at once, Lily. And my brain is working quite well, thank you."

"Don't you have someone to accidentally poison or blow up?" Alexei wanted to know, this one being his least favorite Potter, which was saying something.

Lily easily shrugged off the implied insults, she was used to being razzed about her little potion incidents. She was much more interested in figuring out how her baby cousin had ended up dating the baddest bad boy Hogwarts had had to offer when she'd attended.

"Nope, not at the moment. That's why I'm here, to pick up some stuff." Noticing the hickies that were just visible above her cousin's shirt collar Lily came up with a logical reason why Hugo would be dating the Slytherin currently glaring at her. "You two are sleeping together already, aren't you?"

Rosie gave Lily a pleading look. "Please don't remind me."

Taking that as confirmation Lily nodded sagely. "So that's why you're dating him. I always figured he'd be good in bed."

Alexei made a choking sound, horrified at the idea that the evil menace had ever considered what they'd be like in bed together.

"Oh relax, I never thought of doing you, eww, yuck. I just meant that you're not just the bad boy type, but the single-minded sort too. When you're focused on something you don't let anything distract you from your goal." The devil made her add, "Plus your Sev's cousin, and according Rosie he's amazing in bed."

"Quit holding that over my head and don't talk about it! I was drunk! It wasn't my fault! How was I supposed to know Roxie had put alcohol in the Jell-O? You should have told me, especially since you know how much I love Jell-O."

"She's very amusing when she's pissed." Lily informed them.

Okay, he was sort of curious as to what his wife had said about him, he was only human, but Sev didn't want to talk about sex with his wife's cousin because Lily just drove him nuts. The girl needed a keeper but thus far no one capable had proven dumb enough for the job.

Thankfully Hugo saved the day by asking Lily if she would take on the task of informing her immediate family that he was dating Alexei since it would take him a rather long time to track everyone down and inform them before the rest of London heard.

All but cackling with witchy glee Lily immediately accepted the task and began to speculate outloud as to how to best go about lowering the boom so to speak.

She really was scary sometimes.

)

The two men survived the trip to the market with their family members just barely, both thoroughly talked out since they'd run into Hugo's Aunt Angelina, who'd been quite floored by the news that her youngest nephew was dating a Dolohov. It had taken them a while to convince her that George wasn't pranking her and that it was really Alexei Dolohov Hugo was holding hands with and not one of the boy's cousins using a Polyjuice Potion to disguise him or herself. And after that they'd all had to convince her and Rosie that taking Hugo to St. Mungos for a once over, just in case, wasn't necessary.

"You have too many sodding relatives, you know that?"

"And you have too many disturbed or very rude relatives. It balances out in the end." Hugo pointed out as he started to put stuff away. He didn't mind that people were worried about him, he was actually rather used to it at this point. Though this was the first time he could recall them questioning his mental health to this degree just because he was dating someone. They hadn't been this worried about him since he'd told them he was thinking about buying a large house so he'd have room for more books.

Since he didn't like the majority of his relatives at the best of times Alexei shrugged off the insult to them, especially since the silly Gryffindor had been so polite about it. Some of the branches of his family tree were a lot worse than rude and disturbed and he knew it. "If any more drop by wanting to talk you out of dating me I'm going to curse them." Dating the man was hard enough without adding the rest of the family to the mix.

Making a vague sound that did nothing to distinguish his thoughts on the matter Hugo finished putting the rest of the food away and then walked over to grasp the hem of Alexei's borrowed shirt, pulling it up and over the man's head.

Handing the shirt over to the intrigued looking Slytherin Hugo smiled. "If you'd like to finish undressing in the bedroom I'll go and do a little magic to the door to insure that we're not bothered for the next little while."

"You do that."

Not letting his amusement show too much Hugo listened to the other man's retreating footsteps and then headed for the front door. Years spent with his nose buried in books had given him a vast and in-depth knowledge of magic and how it could be used and manipulated, spells already lying dormant around his flat that could be activated with a few key words. No one would be able to get in now unless he undid the spells, which was a good thing since Alexei was no doubt right about the likelihood that other members of his family would be coming to see him shortly.

Once that was taken care of he slid his wand back into his pocket and then headed towards his bedroom, a gleam in his eyes and a hint of a skip to his step.


	6. Step Six

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters get in.

Step Six

Returning to his bedroom to find Alexei naked and waiting Hugo smiled widely, taking a moment to appreciate the too alluring for words sight with marked interest. And given his extreme extensive vocabulary that was really saying something, Hugo silently acknowledged as his gaze ran over his lover's body like hungry hands. Rationally speaking Alexei was too short and slender for typical male beauty, the firm muscle tone the Slytherin had slaved to get visible only when the man flexed as he was now under his watchful eyes. Maybe that was what appealed to him most, Hugo thought not for the first time, the fact that you wouldn't know just to look at him just how much power and strength had been incased in that slim package.

"Get naked, Weasley."

Just to tease Hugo made as if he intended to climb onto the bed with his clothes on, looking down when Alexei's foot shot out to press against his stomach, pushing him back. Lifting his head to meet the other man's gaze Hugo did his best not to betray his excitement as he stated that he'd rather Alexei took his clothes off for him.

"No. Strip."

Feigning reluctance Hugo lifted each foot in turn to remove his socks, letting them fall from his hand to the floor before grasping the hem of his long sleeve shirt and pulled it up and over his head. Letting that join the socks Hugo could feel the man's eyes on his chest, appreciating the warmth of the gaze since he was well aware of the fact that the best you could say about the trunk of his body was that there wasn't a bit of fat thanks to his Weasley metabolism. What muscles he had were in his arms and legs, the former from hours spent hauling around books and the latter because he had to walk more than any other wizard or witch he knew.

The usual forms of transportation used in the Wizarding World tended to end badly for people who couldn't focus solely on their intended destination, and asking him to clear his mind enough to do that was like asking Sev to forgo a dessert buffet. It was theoretically possible, and had happened once or twice, but sex usually had to be involved for that possibility to occur.

Smiling a little at the thought Hugo finished off his undressing by removing his trousers and then moved forward again, Alexei allowing it this time as he slid onto his bed to join the Slytherin.

Shifting over so that Hugo could stretch out beside him Alexei moved on top of the Gryffindor as soon as he was settled, leaning forward to press their lips together in a possessive kiss that made it clear who was in charge even though neither would ever forget it. It was one of the reasons they fit so well together.

When he finally raised his head Alexei took a moment to appreciate the redden lips beneath him, lifting a hand to brush a finger over the facial hair that circled his Gryffindor's very inviting mouth. "So what made you decide to grow one again?" Hugo had sported a beard before, but only for about a month and then he'd shaved it off a couple of years after they'd graduated.

A rueful grin greeted the question as Hugo stroked his hands up and down Alexei's back as he answered. "Three months ago I was asked to go to a weeklong conference in Germany, and I sort of picked up a stalker…who looked like Father Christmas. He kept going on about my curls and young looking body and since I promised my Gran to never cut off all my curls again…well the beard thing was the best I could come up with. It seems to keep the pedophiles after me down to a minimum."

Groaning Alexei shoot his head, his brain hurting as he remembered the very real problem Hugo had when it came to sexual predators. The combination of curls and adorable innocence Hugo had radiated as a child had attracted people to him like bees to honey, and naturally some of those people weren't the sort any sane person would want near a little kid who didn't have the sense not to talk to strangers. It had been so bad that Rosie had adopted the 'kick in the shins first, ask questions later' policy towards anyone who tried to remove her brother from her eagle eye vigil.

And you'd have thought that would end once Hugo reached his teen years, but oh no, it hadn't. Men and women old enough to be the Gryffindor's grandparents had been known to target the often clueless until he was hit over the head with it Weasley even today. Point in fact, this latest incident.

"You should have just jinxed the hell out of that old man. You're Harry Potter's nephew for fuck sakes. You'd get off without a warning."

Hugo shook his head at the idea, he would never use his uncle or what the man had suffered to get out of trouble. Not that he'd ever really been in serious trouble with the law before, or even a little trouble in all honesty, but he wouldn't if he ever were to find himself in that situation. It was the principle of the thing.

Having a pretty good idea what the Gryffindor was thinking Alexei just rolled his eyes. "I'd say you need a keeper like Lily, but that wouldn't be enough. You need a warden."

Deliberately raking his nails down the Slytherin's back Hugo smiled knowingly. "Know someone who'd like the job?"

"I already have a job."

"Who says I was talking about you?"

Making a sound of displeasure in the back of his throat Alexei lowered his head and dug his teeth into what little meat there was in Hugo's right shoulder, lips curving slightly at the excited gasp that greeted the gesture. And mark and point made Alexei turned his attention to sucking on the spot to both soothe and insure that the claiming would stand out like a brand on the man's pale skin.

Hips bucking at the gesture, because oh damn but he loved when Alexei was deliberately possessive, Hugo moaned and squirmed both for the pleasure of their bodies meeting and because he knew he'd be rewarded for it tenfold once Alexei decided his neck had received enough attention.

)

When Hugo had activated the shielding around his flat he'd also disabled the doorbell, not wanting either he or Alexei to get distracted while in the throes. Well that and he would have felt guilt knowing that someone was on his doorstep trying to get ahold of him, ignoring him or her like they weren't important enough to talk with. And if Alexei was shagging him it went without saying that answering the door would be the last thing on his mind. So the doorbell didn't work and thus neither man had any idea that while they were enjoying their mutual exploration of each other's bodies two men were on Hugo's doorstep trying to get someone to come to the door.

And when those two figured out the fact that the place had been locked down one jumped to the worst case scenario and the other couldn't get it into his best friend's head that he was overreacting and that there was a likely explanation, which was that Hugo didn't want his whole family descending on him like locust because he'd apparently lost his mind and decided to start dating a Dolohov. But alas, that didn't go over any better and so with a resigned sigh the still rational member of the duo lifted his wand and pointed it towards the flat, ridiculously thankful that at least the shielding allowed patronuses to pass through it.

The silvery fog flowed through the flat and down the hallway, heading straight through the door and over towards the bed before becoming a rather large stag, both men on said bed instinctively forgetting all about shagging when The Chosen One's voice came from the apparition.

"Hugo, I'm sorry, but I really need you to come to the door and let your father see that you're okay. When he couldn't get into your place he checked out the wards and he's convinced that Alexei Dolohov is currently holding you hostage in there. I tried to explain to him that there's no way that he could possibly have create shielding this complex and sophisticated, but he's convinced Sev helped him. You know how he's feeling towards Sev at the moment." A pause. "And you have to come, he says your patronus won't do. And if you don't come he's going to call in reinforcements." Longer pause. "I can't talk any sense into him…you better get out here before his head explodes."

Alexei scowled at the stag as it disintegrated. "I could too shield this place as well as you can."

Not about to tell the man he was currently naked with that his uncle was, in fact, correct, Hugo groaned and then patted Alexei's ass in resignation. Without his mum there to keep his dad in line there was no choice but to give it to stop the insanity. "I'll get rid of them and be back as quickly as possible. Promise. He really will call the authorities on you and you are a Dolohov. They'll blow it epically out of proportion."

Pinning Hugo's shoulders down on the bed Alexei had no intention of letting him go anywhere and said so. In fact he deliberately pressed down hard on the place he'd bit the man earlier to make it plain that he'd fight dirty if necessary to keep Hugo right where he was.

It was a testament to his ability to multitask even in high pressure situations that Hugo didn't forget about the men at his door then and there. "Alexei…I'm the Chosen One's nephew and you're a Dolohov. Things could get very ugly very quickly out there. Just let me go, it will take me five minutes at the most. I'll make it quick, believe me." It went unsaid that they both knew he'd much rather be in bed naked with him than talking to overprotective family members.

Considering the situation Alexei cursed under his breath and then withdrew his hands, surprising Hugo by getting off the bed and going over to where he'd draped his trousers at the foot of the bed.

Eyes widening when the Slytherin retrieved his wand and then headed for the door, still butt naked and showing no intention of changing that fact, Hugo dropped the trousers and shirt he'd just picked up from the floor. "Alexei…what are you planning to do?"

"Stay in the fucking bed and wait for me." Was the man's hot response from the doorway. "They need to talk to someone about our relationship…oh I'll be happy to make sure they get it through their thick Potter and Weasley skulls just what the nature of our relationship is."

Mouth dropping open Hugo actually couldn't process what his man intended to do for several heartbeats and then, seeing that Alexei wasn't kidding, Hugo all but hurled himself off the bed and ran after his very naked and pissed off Slytherin, catching up with him halfway down the hallway.

Without giving warning or any follow up Hugo pushed Alexei back against the nearest wall and then dropped to his knees in front of the Slytherin, ignoring the man's growl of warning as he shifted Alexei's attention from their visitors to him. Lifting one of the man's legs over his shoulder, thus preventing Alexei from being able to get away unless he dissipated, Hugo turned his attention and his mouth to the task of bringing the man to orgasm as quickly as possible by taking his lover's erection between his kiss swollen lips.

Automatically digging fingers into Hugo's unburdened shoulder and into the man's curls, Alexei knew he was being distracted but couldn't quite bring himself to give a damn as he let go of his anger and let it fuel another kind of fire. This was even better than possibly giving Ron Weasley a heart attack as far as he was concerned, and he would be justified in punishing the man currently going down on him for getting in his way which was an added bonus to his way of thinking.

Humming his pleasure when he realized that Alexei wasn't going to fight him or argue, Hugo wholeheartedly got into what he was doing, knowing just how to use his tongue and the suction of his mouth to drive the Slytherin crazy. He was also learning quickly just how to use his beard to his advantage, Alexei's inner thighs as sensitive to the rasp now as they'd been earlier. He was sorry that he couldn't drag it out longer, he did so love to take his time and torment the Slytherin a little when he was in this position, but the situation demanded as quick a finish as possible.

Even though he knew Hugo knew how he liked it Alexei told him anyway, tightening his grip on the man's curls when Hugo deliberately did the opposite of what he'd just told him to do. Oh he knew what the man was doing, challenging him, and loved that about him as he told Hugo exactly what he would do to him once they got back to bed if he did as he was told.

Moaning wantonly, damn but he was going to have to go to the door with one hell of a painful erection, Hugo immediately set about earning the down and dirty sex Alexei had waved in front of him as a reward, wanting it so badly he shuddered with the need.

And just like that the Gryffindor was doing that thing with his tongue Alexei loved, and the heat that had been pooling in the Slytherin's stomach began to boil, so that he forgot about everything but his impending climax and the man who could drive him wild without even trying.

)

Not about to deny either of them Hugo enjoyed every moment of Alexei's orgasm when it came, remaining where he was until the other man was spent and obviously struggling to remember why he should stay up right. Smiling over that fact Hugo wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and then took Alexei's leg off his shoulder so that he could easily lift the man into his arms, rubbing his cheek against the Slytherin's hair as he carried the temporarily blissed out Slytherin back to his bed. Gently laying his man down he took a brief moment to enjoy the view before scooping up his own trousers and hurrying back into the hallway, attempting to put them on while he ran for the door knowing he had a very small block of time to get to his father and uncle and get rid of them before Alexei recovered enough to follow through on his previous threat.

Needless to say he had the start of a few new bruises by the time he'd gotten the trousers on and arrived at the door, but he got there and after checking the nearby mirror to make sure there wasn't anything that betrayed what he'd just been up to pulled out his wand.

Undo the wards around his place Hugo opened the door as soon as they were down, not surprised to find his father standing there with his wand, obviously trying and failing to deconstruct his shields while his uncle stood off to the side with a resigned look on his face.

"Hugo!"

"Hi, Dad. Uncle Harry. I'm fine, no need to worry. And sorry for the future worry but I am all grown now and I do know what I'm doing. And now I really do need to get back to what I was doing because that blow job is only going to hold him back for so long. Love you both, see you next family dinner if not sooner. Bye!"

Giving his uncle an apologetic look Hugo closed the door again and quickly sent the shields back into place, resetting all the minor, surface spells his dad had no doubt disabled in the time it had taken him to get to the door.

And vaguely aware of the sound of his father freaking out, he shouldn't have mentioned the blow job now that he thought about it, Hugo forced himself to have faith that his uncle would be able to drag his father off now that they'd seen for themselves that he was in one piece and not being held hostage by a badass Slytherin. Oh please let him succeed for the sake of all their sanities.

Hugo didn't even want to think what would happen if the two stuck around, especially if they got his mum to come since it would drive her nuts when she discovered that she couldn't get through his shields despite her considerable skills. That would not go over well, Hugo mused as he headed back to find Alexei waiting for him in the hallway looking decidedly peeved with him.

Doing his best to look contrite Hugo didn't try to excuse himself, knowing that would be pointless. He just acknowledged the finger Alexei was pointing in the direction of his bedroom and hoped that he would be able to sit down on Monday.

Though if he couldn't, it would so be worth it.


	7. Step Seven

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters end up in. Everything else belongs to someone else and that's the way of it.

Step Seven

With a bounce in his step and a song in his heart Hugo arrived at work on Monday, his hands occupied with the three large bakery boxes he'd brought with him. As he'd explained to the people he'd already encountered and fed, he'd had a really, really good weekend and had felt like spreading the happiness around. Not surprisingly a number of people either knew or suspected how he'd spent his weekend so he got a lot of weird looks, but everyone loved him too much to actually say something mean to him. Naturally they all blamed Dolohov for no doubt seducing their favorite curly top, many of them having less than nice plans for the Slytherin should he dare to approach them in the near future.

Unaware of the dark plans some of his friends were concocting Hugo was very aware of the fact that people were taking notice of the now faint bruising just visible under his jumper depending on how he moved. Alexei had supervised that, not wanting anyone to get the wrong idea about the bruising the way he had after their reunion Friday night.

He would have been annoyed about how thoroughly Alexei had removed most of the markings their lovemaking had caused, but the constant sex all weekend had insured that his bum would keep reminding him for a while to come. That and the knowledge that the Slytherin was so bloody stubborn and sure that his incredibly stupid plan would work made him happy, sure that there was no way Alexei wouldn't be sharing his bed for the foreseeable future. They wouldn't see each other as much during the week of course, but Alexei was going to bring supper to his place tonight, and sleep over afterwards.

Yay

Hopelessly amused at himself Hugo set the treats on the break table and then headed for his own desk, grinning at the sound of people stampeding towards said table to get first crack at the desserts. Some things in life were so very predictable.

Alexei was very predictable when it came to some things, unfathomable when it came to others, the Gryffindor thought as he took his seat, automatically sorting through the mess scattered over his desk. His mum and sister had always despaired over the fact that he took after his father when it came to his neatness. He'd have to remember to keep his space at home cleaner than normal now that he was with his favorite Slytherin, the man was as particular about keeping things in their proper place as the female members of his family. A happy Alexei was a more likely to have sex with him repeatedly.

Not that Alexei was big on happiness or showing it, though he could see it in the man's eyes sometimes. Loved causing it.

"So Dolohov put those marks on you?"

Turning his head Hugo smiled at the sight of his cousin James's best friend, a Ravenclaw who also worked in the building and was eating one of the pastries he'd brought. "Good morning, Seth."

"Morning. And you didn't answer my question, Sweetie."

Lips curving Hugo nodded. "Jealous?"

"Ha. I've got my own sexy man to nibble on me, thank you very much. And Lysander's a lot less likely to kill me in my sleep."

"Ly's empathic. He's less likely to kill someone than me."

He couldn't argue that, his man was also a sweetie. But he hadn't come over to talk about his own man, he was far more interesting in Hugo's. "You know your whole family will be gunning for him once they recover from the shock of who you're sleeping with. Hell, I'd be questioning your sanity too if he wasn't so damn sexy and hot. Evil and meaner than five wet cats stuck in a sack, but damn yummy in a Tom Hiddleston as Loki sort of way."

"I know, right?"

Laughing, Seth shook his head. He couldn't argue with that. "Of course your version is a lot shorter."

"Better not let him hear you say that."

Since he didn't have a death wish Seth assured him that he wouldn't be making that mistake. Everyone knew not to make comments about Dolohov's height around the Slytherin. Unless you wanted to pick a fight with the man, Seth silently amended, because that was guaranteed to work every time and introduce you to a world of pain in a very short period of time too.

Seeing that Seth's sense of humor was battling with the older man's worries where he was concerned, Hugo gave the Ravenclaw what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "You don't have to worry you know, none of you do. I know what I'm doing."

"You have some sort of plan to keep him from doing you in?"

"Yup."

Curiosity in his eyes Seth asked what that plan was.

"Giving him as much sex as is humanly possible."

"That could work."

The two men grinned at each other in agreement, chatting for a bit more before they had to get to work for the day.

)

It was a couple hours after lunch time, Hugo hard at work and barely aware of what was going on around him, when a letter dropped suddenly on the piece of parchment he was working on. Grabbing it quickly, least the ink smear, Hugo frowned down at the letter, a chill going down his spine when he saw that the front informed him that it was from St. Mungos.

Opening it up Hugo frantically scanned the contents, having no idea why the hospital would be contacting him with the news that Alexei had just been brought in by his teammates after being hit by a curse. But why he'd been contacted wasn't important, the fact that Alexei needed him was all that mattered, Hugo told himself as he struggled to remain calm. The letter stated that his man hadn't received life threatening or permanently disabling injuries, but he'd believe that when he saw it for himself.

Gathering up his coat and satchel Hugo hurried out without bothering to put his stuff away, stopping only long enough to tell his boss where he was going. Since he was always vastly ahead of everyone else when it came to completing his assigned projects that wasn't a problem, he was months ahead actually, so his boss was fine with him leaving for the day and assured Hugo that if he needed to take a few days off to help this friend of his recover that would be fine too.

Thanking the wizard, who had no idea who Alexei Dolohov was, Hugo headed out as quickly as he'd come, using the Floo powder system to get to the hospital as fast as possible. Once there he headed for the correct floor and was directed to Alexei's healer, who had just left the seeker's room.

Introducing himself Hugo asked what had happened, the healer explaining that apparently a fan of the team Mr. Dolohov's own team was playing soon had snuck into the pitch and had struck as soon as he'd had a clear shot while the Slytherin's back was turned. The seeker had broken a number of bones when he hit the ground, but that had been easily dealt with by the team healer. Unfortunately the healer in question was so afraid of Mr. Doholov wrath that when he'd attempted to put a spell on the seeker to ease the man's pain-he'd messed up the pronunciation with some unfortunate side effects.

"Mr. Dolohov is lucid and isn't in any physical pain…but he is having some difficulty moving about and retaining his short term memory. He's also made it very clear that he doesn't want to be here-you were listed as his contact person in case of life threatening injuries, so we thought it best to have you come and collect him. He was very firm that his family was not to be contacted."

"I'm his-are you sure I'm his person in case of emergencies?"

The healer's lips curved ever so slightly, a knowing look in his eyes. "Yes, Mr. Weasley, I assure you I triple checked that fact before I contacted you. I was as surprised as you are that someone of Mr. Dolohov's lineage and…personality would assign you of all people that task."

Having no idea what to think Hugo decided to question Alexei about it later, turning his attention to finding out whatever he needed to know about his lover's condition, grateful that it was apparently just a matter of him supervising Alexei until the messed up spell wore off.

Once they'd sorted everything out and he'd signed Alexei out under his care, Hugo followed the healer's instructions and headed for the Slytherin's room, finding the man looking just fine and apparently trying to argue that fact with two of his coaches and his team captain.

"There you are. What the hell took you so long?" Alexei demanded to know as soon as he caught sight of Hugo coming towards him.

"Talking to your healer and signing you out and into my custody. I'm Hugo Weasley." He added, shaking his hands with the two coaches. The captain of the team he knew already from school.

"Didn't know what to think when I heard you were his contact person, Weasley." Ian Piper told his fellow Gryffindor with a smile, shaking Hugo's hand as well.

"Well who the hell else was I going to put down?" Alexei demanded to know before Hugo could comment. "A member of my FAMILY? Do you think I have a bloody death wish? I mean okay, my sister would probably vote to keep me alive, if for no other reason that she finds me entertaining at family gatherings, but she'd go along with whatever the healers said was best." Alexei pointed in Hugo's direction. "You, on the other hand, would investigate every possible treatment and alternative before signing my death warrant, as well as being tough enough to handle my family at the same time. You and your stupid cuteness powers."

Hugo forced himself not to smile. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"It wasn't meant as one."

"I know."

Looking between the two Ian was more than a little confused, but offered to help Hugo get the cranky Slytherin back to the man's flat anyway. Dolohov was an important member of their team after all, and he was fairly fond of Hugo who'd been very cute and adorable to have around for the two years they'd been in Gryffindor together.

Obviously hearing the affection in the older man's voice Alexei gave his captain a dark look. "You'll be the one needing a hospital bed if you all don't beat it."

Successfully holding back the urge to roll his eyes Hugo gave the other men sympathetic looks before moving in to stand at Alexei's side, holding out a hand to help him up. "Come on, let's get you back to my place, okay?"

"My place." Alexei corrected.

Having never been to the Slytherin's place before Hugo had no problem with that idea, he'd been hoping to eventually get an invitation there as it was. It made sense that Alexei would have to get injured and medicated before that happened, but he'd never been the sort to look a gift horse in the mouth. So yes, he assured Alexei, that was precisely what they would do.

Pleased to get his way as always, Alexei pushed back his covers and slid off the bed, making no complaint about the arm Hugo wrapped around his waist automatically. He liked the man touching him after all, so why would he complain? Plus it made it clear to Piper just who the Gryffindor belonged to, which was him of course.

"Let's go."

"Yes, Sir."

)

As soon as they arrived at his place Alexei demanded that he be allowed to take a shower, convinced that he could still smell the hospital on him. Knowing better than to argue Hugo let the Slytherin lead the way to the bathroom, helping Alexei undress once they got there and then starting to do the same, giving the man a warning look as he did so. "Don't get into the shower until I can get in with you."

Leaning back against the sink Alexei watched his Gryffindor undress, eyes moving hungrily over the lackey form as he enjoyed the view. "You're joining me?"

"Do you know how many accidents happen in bathrooms?"

"I don't care." Wrapping his arms around Hugo's waist Alexei leaned in to kiss along the man's neck while the Gryffindor lifted each leg in turn to remove his socks. "I'd rather hear you moaning and screaming my name while I fuck your oh so fuckable ass."

"That curse hit you hard, didn't it?"

"I'll show you what's hard." Was Alexei's resort, the man digging his hands into Hugo's ass as he rubbed their bodies together, moving in to seal their lips together in a kiss designed to make the other man forget all about his so called injuries.

Making a low sound of pleasure Hugo snogged him back, wrapping his arms around Alexei in turn to support them both. He tried to gentle the kiss a little but that didn't work, Alexei kissing the hell out of him before suddenly pulling away, looking at him in confusion.

"What the hell-what are we-this is my place. When did we come to my place? What time is it?" Alexei's eyes narrowed threateningly. "Why are we naked?"

Lips twitching in amusement Hugo explained what had happened earlier, Alexei scowling as he stated that he didn't remember any of that. "The healer said your brains got a little scrambled. You should be better in a day or so."

Trusting that the man wasn't screwing with his head, they'd known each other too long for Hugo not to know there would be serious consequences if he was, Alexei accepted that the Gryffindor was telling the truth and that that meant he needed to hunt down his team's healer and shove a snitch down the git's throat so he could watch him choke on it.

"Or you could thank him since you and I have the rest of today and tomorrow off." Hugo suggested, trying not to imagine how horrible it would be to have a snitch stuck in your throat.

"I thought you worked all week. Why aren't you at work now?"

Hugo shook his head and reminded the Slytherin that he was his contact person in case of emergency and therefore he'd naturally been contacted earlier.

Scowl deepening Alexei didn't like the fact that the Gryffindor knew he'd put the man's name down as his contact person. He wouldn't have if it weren't for the fact that they'd said he had to for contract reasons. Apparently you couldn't play professional Quidditch and not have someone who could legally make medical decisions for you if you were unable to do so. Hugo had been the only one he'd known a hundred percent he could trust with his life.

"So do you still want a shower?"

Glancing in the direction of his shower before turning his eyes back to meet Hugo's, now very much aware of the naked body pressed up against his own, Alexei didn't have to think about that one for long at all. "Get your ass in there."

Following Hugo into the shower Alexei closed the glass door behind them, allowing the other man to choose the temperature while he enjoyed watching the naked body in front of him, particularly when water started to slip and slide over it.

Once the water felt right to him Hugo turned around to face Alexei, crocking a finger to get him closer.

Raising one eyebrow Alexei clearly transmitted the thought that he had no intention of letting himself be summoned that way. He'd come when he damn well wanted to, thank you very much.

Hopelessly amused by the other man Hugo walked over to the Slytherin instead, wrapping his arms around the man's waist again as he reminded Alexei that the whole reason he'd gotten naked and entered the shower with him in the first place was so that he could be there if he lost consciousness.

"And naturally that's the only reason you took your clothes off." Sarcasm dripped off the statement, Alexei not believing that for a minute. But since Hugo was right there in front of him he didn't see anything wrong with leaning some of his weight on the other man, his legs maybe not quite as strong or steady as he would have liked. Not that he wasn't up to showering by himself of course, but since Hugo was there anyway…

"You're one of those people who believes a massage is all about sex too, aren't you?"

"Are you offering to give me a massage?"

Keeping his arms around Alexei for support Hugo moved them backwards so that they were under the spray, letting the hot water warm them up a little more before he dropped one hand away to grab the bottle of shampoo he'd noticed earlier. Pouring some into his hand he set it aside and then began to work the creamy liquid into Alexei's hair while his other arm kept the man steady and pressed up close against him. It had rained early that morning and the pitch must have been muddy when Alexei had crash landed. They'd cleaned the rest of the man's body up pretty well, Hugo informed his lover, but whoever had done his hair hadn't done a good enough job.

Sliding both hands up Hugo's chest Alexei linked his fingers behind the man's neck, closing his eyes in pleasure as he leaned in to rest his head against his lover's shoulder. Which sort of defeated the purpose of what Hugo was doing, but Alexei wasn't thinking about that as he settled there with a content sound of pleasure, rubbing his cheek against the warm, freckled skin that smelled of the man's soap and personal scent.

Smiling Hugo didn't comment either, just continuing to do what he was doing as he waited for Alexei to remember the point of what he was doing. Or have another memory slip that would have the Slytherin demanding to know how they'd gotten into the shower in the first place.

Whichever came first, he was flexible.


	8. Step Eight

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters end up in. Everything else belongs to someone else and that's the way of it.

Step Eight

By the time they left the shower the two men were squeaky clean and Alexei was in a very good mood due to the hand job he'd been given before they'd finished washing up. It was because of that that he made no protest when he was herded into his own bedroom, dressed for bed, and then tucked into said bed since Hugo thought he needed to rest. And since he didn't want to go to sleep as it wasn't even dinner time yet, Alexei demanded that Hugo get under the covers with him. He was far from done with the man after all and they might as well work up an appetite before it was time to eat.

Amused and more than happy to cooperate, Hugo got under the covers and lying on his side drew Alexei up against him, cuddling him close.

Rolling his eyes Alexei allowed himself to be cuddled like a teddy bear, though only because he wasn't quite up to jumping the other man just yet. And okay, because he actually did love when he was wrapped up in Hugo's arms like this. Not that he'd ever admit that, not ever, but it was one of his many dirty secrets where this man was concerned. It wasn't even that he liked to be held, exactly, it was just that there was something special about the way Hugo did it.

Like all the warmth and happiness the Gryffindor seemed to carry within him was transferred over to whoever he chose to heap his affection on, Alexei thought to himself as he closed his eyes, soaking up those feelings with the smallest of smiles.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'll be fine. Better after I get my hands on that damn healer."

"Alexei…it was an honest mistake. If you hadn't make him so scared of you he probably would have performed the spell admirably and helped you instead of…putting you in the hospital for a very short period of time."

Snorting, Alexei reminded Hugo that he didn't even know the healer in question. The man was utterly incompetent and that was that.

Trying a different tact Hugo pointed out that Alexei wasn't going to miss a match as a result of this, and that getting to skip a few practices should make him happy because it meant that he wouldn't have to listen to his coaches telling him what to do or work on. Alexei hated when people did that, especially if they were under the delusion that they were somehow the boss of him.

"They know I don't listen to them."

Chuckling, Hugo shook his head, his beard brushing against the top of Alexei's head. "You really don't get along with anyone, do you?"

"Your point?" And since he was not remotely interested in discussing the stupidity of their fellow men, he could only rant so much before he began to repeat himself too much, Alexei asked instead how Hugo's coworkers had reacted to the news that they were dating.

"Seth figures I should use sex to keep you from killing me."

"Seth…that Muggleborn friend of your cousin James?" When Hugo nodded his head Alexei snorted in derision again. "That idiot. Someone hasn't killed him yet?"

"He's a Ravenclaw, they don't exactly accept idiots into that house." Hugo pointed out dryly. "And for your information you've benefitted from me knowing him. You should be glad he's still alive."

He was well aware of the fact that James's stupid friend was also gay, the man had had the biggest crush on the eldest Potter when they'd been at Hogwarts together. The Ravenclaw had followed Potter around like a puppy until the two's last year, when Lysander Scamander had caught the idiot's eye and held it. As far as he knew Scamander and the twit were still together, but still…

Shifting his head out from under Hugo's, Alexei moved up so that his head was resting beside the Gryffindor's on the pillow. "How exactly have I benefited?"

A winning little grin preceded Hugo's answer. "Why by providing me with some very interesting books to read of course."

Eyes narrowing that much more at the look on Hugo's face, he knew that look well, Alexei's own lips curved into a scowl. "He's been giving you dirty books? And you've been reading them? What the-he has no business corrupting you. That's my job."

Stroking a finger along Alexei's jawline Hugo grinned, not the least bit worried. "Oh I've corrupted myself plenty while reading. I'll show you some of my books the next time you come over to my place. There's actually one in particular I was hoping you might be interested in."

"Oh?"

"Mhmmm. I've never tried it, but it made me think of you the minute I read it." Bracing his weight on the arm he'd placed beside Alexei's back, Hugo leaned in, placed his lips against the Slytherin's ear, and whispered a detailed description of a sexual position that would make his leg muscles cry like babies afterwards…but would be so worth it in the end.

As soon as Hugo had finished his explanation Alexei was moving, pushing the other man onto his back and rolling on top of him, a predator to the core as he licked his lips at his prey.

Less than half an hour later Hugo's legs were cramping something awful but he wasn't complaining and Alexei…well he made it clear that if he forgot what they'd just done he was not only going to maim his team healer, he'd draw and quarter the son of a bitch.

)

When it was time for supper the two opted to order out since neither could cook and Alexei didn't want to risk going out and then having a memory lapse. As it turned out they were both a fan of Chinese food and so Hugo ordered them up a bunch of food from his favorite place, thinking that the leftovers could tide them over tomorrow until Alexei's house elf came by or he went home and picked something up for them from his own freezer. Once the order was sent they opted to hang out in Alexei's front parlor until the food came, sitting side by side on his couch, not talking about anything as they simply enjoyed being together.

They'd never had moments like this when they were students, they'd never been able to be together outside the Room of Requirement where time was limited and teenage hormones were in control the majority of the time. When they did talk it was either about Alexei's bad behavior, something Hugo had done that the Slytherin thought was particularly stupid, or discussing when they'd be meeting up next and what they intended to do with and to the other when they did meet up. Just one of the many reasons Hugo had constantly felt like a mistress and not a lover when they'd been together.

"Alexei…other than the sex…is there anything else you do like about me?"

The Slytherin's gaze was suspicious as he asked why he was being asked that.

"Just curious. I'll keep up my end of the deal regardless of what you say, I was just wondering. Weasley curiosity and all that."

Since the Gryffindor was indeed a man of his word Alexei shrugged and threw out the first thing that came to mind that he was fine admitting to. "I like how you make people look and feel incredibly stupid when you go on one of your brainiac rants about something."

Oh. He really should have seen that one coming.

"And I like it when you actually get really mad and show your very small, badass side. It's funny as hell because it's like seeing a bunch of manticores cower before a puppy dog." He loved the fact that he was the only one who could really fight with the Gryffindor, that he was stronger and tougher than everyone else. They had no idea what they were missing while they groveled and apologized to Hugo, how sexy and hot the Gryffindor looked while he was giving them hell for whatever they'd done. Which reminded him of another thing he loved to watch Hugo doing, Alexei mused with a grin.

"I like watching you read a book you've never read before too. You make the weirdest faces depending on whether you like what you're reading or not." And then Alexei started to make faces at Hugo, explaining which face Hugo made when he learned something new, disagreed with the author, was disappointed by the plot device, worried about a character or characters-

Throwing himself on a very surprised Alexei Hugo pinned him down on the cushion and proceeded to passionately snog the Slytherin's brains out with every ounce of skill he possessed. He knew he made faces when he was reading, everyone teased him about it, but Alexei must have been paying attention to him, observing him when he hadn't been aware of it, to have picked up on his faces and figure out what they meant.

And that, Hugo thought as he put his tongue into Alexei's mouth, made him really happy.

Not about to question his good fortune Alexei was quite happy to make out with Hugo on the couch, the two getting more than a little hot and bothered on top of sweaty by the time the doorbell went off, signaling that their food had arrived.

Making a low sound of disappointment, though it was probably for the best since he was hungry for more than Alexei, Hugo lifted his head and smiled widely at Alexei before getting up and off him, announcing that he'd go get the food and be right back.

"No, I'll get it." Getting to his own feet Alexei had no intention of letting the other man pay for the meal.

"Fine, but I'm coming to the door with you and you better be nice and tip properly or I'm going to deliberately embarrass you at the earliest opportunity."

"Are you calling me cheap?"

The two men squabbling all the way to the door, Alexei opened it and did his best not to make a face when Hugo wrapped his arms around his waist and set his chin on top of his own head, highlighting the difference in their sizes. Thankfully it was just a house elf at the door, a large bag of food in each hand as it nervously announced itself and its purpose for being there.

"Hi, Sage, thanks for getting here so quickly."

"Sage is pleased as always to see and bring food to Hugo Weasley." The house elf assured the always sweet and adorable Gryffindor. Unlike a lot of people the man made a point of talking to him whenever he delivered to him and he always tipped. Most people only tipped the human deliverers, not the elves. Hugo Weasley was one of his most favorite customers.

Ignoring the two as they chatted away, it didn't surprise Alexei in the least that Hugo knew the house elf well enough to ask the creature about its family, he concentrated on counting out the correct amount of coins as well as a tip since he didn't doubt Hugo would notice if he didn't.

Seeing that Alexei was done counting Hugo moved to the side and took the food while Alexei paid Sage, saying good bye to the house elf when the transaction was completed.

Nodding his own good bye Alexei turned to head back inside when he heard the sound of human footsteps coming towards them, moving to the side in time to see his sister barrelling down on them. And unfortunately there wasn't enough time to slam the door in her face.

"Oh, food, excellent. I'm hungry."

Elbowing her way into the flat Sorcha was sitting on the couch by the time they joined her, Alexei glaring at her openly while Hugo worked up a smile and a greeting, not surprised at all when she chose to ignore it in favor of telling off her brother for glaring at her, especially when she'd come all this way to see how he was. She'd heard about his little accident earlier and was not at all pleased to have learned that Alexei had named Hugo Weasley of all people as his emergency person. What had he been thinking?

"That I want to live a long life, which wouldn't happen if you were my emergency person."

"Oh please, if I wanted to kill you I would have poisoned you long ago."

"You did poison me! Repeatedly!"

"Those were accidents."

"The hell they were."

Leaving them to their fighting, it was how they showed they loved each other in their demented, Dolohov way, Hugo went to the kitchen and retrieved another place setting for Sorcha, bringing it back and divvying up the food as he ignored the fact that Alexei's sister apparently thought that the fact that they were together was proof that Alexei needed to get his head examined more thoroughly at St. Mungos.

"If you find my LOVER so distasteful you know where the door is. Feel free to bash your head into it a few times on your way out." Taking the plate Hugo handed to him Alexei deliberately took the other man's hand in his and brought it to his lips, thanking the other man for the food in a voice that guaranteed a blush at the very least.

Ears going as red as his father's hair Hugo squirmed, just managing to get out that Alexei was welcome. Logically he knew that Alexei had kissed his hand to punish Sorcha, but still…it was sexy as hell.

"Ugh, don't do that." Snatching up one of the plates Sorcha ate a piece of sweet and sour pork before pointing her fork in Hugo's direction. "You're a complete and total idiot if you think my brother's really interested in you. He's just using you to sending our parents into an early grave."

Taking a bite of his own food Hugo opted to ignore the jab, especially since he couldn't refute the fact that Alexei was indeed using him. So instead he asked her how her day was going.

Like most of her Slytherin peers Sorcha couldn't stand Hugo Weasley and the fact that not only was he pretty unflappable no matter what you said to him, but he also tended to make everyone around him want to smile and cuddle him like a teddy bear. Plus he was always nice even if you spent years trying and failing to be mean to him and it really, really made her angry that unlike her brother she could never seem to bypass the avalanche of guilt and self loathing she felt when she was nasty to this particular Weasley.

But she couldn't ignore or be nice to him either, not with Alexei there to see her so completely fold under the Gryffindor's cuteness powers either.

"How was my day? Well it would have been a hell of a lot better if I didn't have to hear people commenting about the fact that you're dating my brother. I mean seriously, I don't know which of you is stupider. I'd think you deserved each other if not for the fact that I'd rather be trampled by rampaging hippogriffs that have you join our family. Your sister is bad enough as it is. I mean really, it's a wonder the world doesn't just end with all the Weasleys on it these days."

If she'd just kept taking digs at him and left his sister out of it Hugo would have just let her talk herself hoarse, but she'd brought Rosie into it on top of ruining his dinner with Alexei and that called for a little payback.

"You can insult me all you want, Sorcha, it's not going to get you the reaction you want. I'm in too good of a mood for you to spoil it."

"Oh really, you like taking care of my idiot brother that much?"

"That too, but actually I was referring to the fact that we had the most mind blowing, erotic sex of our relationship before you came. I sincerely don't know how we could top it."

While she choked on the piece of shrimp she'd just put in her mouth Hugo smiled at her angelically, his expression slowly turning to one of concern when she didn't stop choking and started to look more than a little red in the face.

"Uhm…Alexei…is she actually choking?"

Looking over at his sister Alexei studied her expression for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. "She'll be fine."

Even though he knew Sorcha would rather choke to death on seafood than be helped by him Hugo got to his feet and started over towards her, the look she aimed in his direction making it clear that she'd jinx him into the next decade if he tried to put his hands on her even though she really did need help ASAP.

"For the love of Merlin." Drawing back his hand Alexei whacked his sister hard in the back, the piece of undigested shrimp coming up and out into her cupped hands while she gasped for air. "And you call us stupid. At least we know how to digest our food, Idiot."

Using her napkin to clean the mess off her hands Sorcha had to concentrate on getting air into her lungs for a solid minute before she pulled her wand out of her pocket and aimed it at her brother, intending to turn him into a shrimp that she could shove down Weasley's throat.

She never got a chance though because Hugo was too fast for her, using expelliarmus to send her wand flying out of her hand and across the room.

After a moment of stunned silence both Dolohovs turned and stared at him in shock, Hugo informing them that there would be no more fighting during dinner, which was getting cold.

The wand stayed in his hand until they'd both started eating again.


End file.
